Abstract

We compared the effects of: 1) timer- ('Timer') and soil moisture sensor-controlled irrigation on soilless lettuce; 2) two volumetric water content (?) thresholds for irrigation (0.30 ('?=0.3') and 0.40 m3?m-3 ('?=0.4')). The most nutrient solution (NS) was applied in 'Timer' where the lowest water use efficiency was observed, with 17 and 42% less NS used in '?=0.4' and '?=0.3', respectively. Irrigation volumes followed the plant water needs in the sensor-controlled treatments, with little or no leaching, while 18% of leaching was recorded in 'Timer'. Plants in 'Timer' and '?=0.4' had higher fresh weights (24%) and leaf area (13%) than plants in ?=0.3. Similar dry weight was observed among treatments but percent dry matter was 20% higher in '?=0.3'. Gas exchanges and leaf tissue chemical composition were similar in all treatments, but nitrate concentration was lower in the '?=0.3' plants. Precision sensor-controlled irrigation based on ? measurements is an effective tool to increase the overall WUE and to improve the quality of soilless-grown lettuce by acting on the substrate moisture level.

Autore Pugliese

• Parente Angelo , Montesano Francesco Fabiano

Tutti gli autori

• F.F. Montesano; M.W. van Iersel; A. Parente

Titolo volume/Rivista

Zahradnictví

Anno di pubblicazione

2016

ISSN

0862-867X

ISBN

Non Disponibile

Numero di citazioni Wos

Nessuna citazione

Ultimo Aggiornamento Citazioni

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Numero di citazioni Scopus

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Ultimo Aggiornamento Citazioni

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Settori ERC

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Codici ASJC

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