In Florida, watermelon is an important crop that accounts for a significant part of the state’s agricultural water use. Depending on the type of production system and climate, the water use of this crop can vary. In Florida, watermelon is predominantly grown on raised plastic-mulched beds. To develop improved water management and allocation plans, accurate water use estimates for watermelon are needed. Seepage irrigation under plastic mulch is a common production system used to produce watermelon in south and northeast Florida where the water table is shallow. Plastic mulch alters the rainfall entry and soil temperature of the raised beds and can significantly affect evapotranspiration. As there is no information on seepage-irrigated watermelon grown on plastic mulch for subtropical Florida, this 4-page fact sheet summarizes the results from a crop water use study for the seepage-irrigated watermelon in south Florida. Written by Sanjay Shukla and Niroj K. Shrestha, and published by the UF Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, August 2014.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ae510
Tag: Niroj K. Shrestha
Water Use for Seepage-Irrigated Pepper with Plastic Mulch in Florida
Bell pepper (Capsicum annuum) is an important crop for Florida and accounts for a significant fraction of its agricultural water use. Most of it is produced in south Florida, where the water table is shallow. Seepage irrigation is one of the most common systems used in south Florida for growing plastic-mulched vegetable crops, including bell pepper. Compared with an open field production, covering the soil with impermeable plastic reduces soil evaporation and increases transpiration. This 3-page fact sheet summarizes the results from a crop water use study for the seepage-irrigated pepper in south Florida.
Written by Sanjay Shukla, Niroj Shrestha, and Fouad H. Jaber, and published by the UF Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, August 2014.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ae509
Water Use for Drip-Irrigated Watermelon with Plastic Mulch in Florida
Watermelon is an important crop in Florida and accounts for a significant part of its agricultural water use. Watermelon is grown in open fields and on raised plastic-mulched beds, with the latter being the predominant production system in Florida. Accurate water use estimates for this crop are needed to develop better water allocation and management plans as well as for irrigation management. This publication summarizes the results from a crop water-use study for the drip-irrigated watermelon in south Florida. This 3-page fact sheet was written by Sanjay Shukla, Niroj K. Shrestha, Thomas A. Obreza, and Brian J. Boman, and published by the UF Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, August 2014.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ae508
How to Determine Run Time and Irrigation Cycles for Drip Irrigation: Tomato and Pepper Examples
Even though drip irrigation is more efficient than the other irrigation methods, proper system management is crucial if that increased efficiency is going to result in water savings and a viable crop. One important aspect of drip irrigation management for crop success is irrigation scheduling, which includes determining both how much and when to irrigate. The grower can use several different methods to help develop a suitable irrigation schedule. Proper scheduling needs to be implemented to take full advantage of the increased drip irrigation efficiency. Two examples are presented in this 5-page fact sheet for tomatoes and peppers, which are two important vegetable crops in Florida, to demonstrate the use of reference evapotranspiration and crop coefficients in developing a drip irrigation schedule. Written by Sanjay Shukla, James M. Knowles, and Niroj K. Shrestha, and published by the UF Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, April 2014.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ae500