UAL Crop Nitrogen and Irrigation Lab

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Research

Vegetable production in greenhouses in the south-east (SE) coast of Spain has been a remarkable success story. However, this intensive and highly concentrated production system is associated with substantial nitrate contamination of underlying aquifers, a rising water table and over-exploitation of deeper aquifers. Our research program aims to (a) quantify and fully understand how the greenhouses cause these problems, and (b) develop crop management practices for N fertilizer and irrigation to reduce these problems.

In this vegetable production system, 80% of crops are grown in soil, mostly with drip irrigation and fertigation that supplies nutrient solution in all irrigations. Combined high frequency drip irrigation and fertigation forms a delivery system capable of spoon-feeding N and water to crops. We are developing the tools to take advantage of this “spoon-feeding” capacity.

The lab's research program focuses on the following lines:

• Development of prescriptive-corrective management for both N and irrigation

• Use of proximal optical sensors for crop N management

• Other crop monitoring approaches

• Calculation of ETo for greenhouse conditions in SE Spain

• Simulations models of crop growth, N uptake and water use

• Development of Decision Support System for combined N and irrigation management

• Use of sensor technologies for irrigation management of vegetable crops

• Regional studies of water use, drainage and nitrate leaching

• Regional N balances for different years

• Stable isotope analysis of aquifer water to determine sources of nitrate

• Measurement of nitrate leaching in commercial farms

• N management of "open" substrate-grown crops