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ABSTRACT

Fertigation is a process in which fertilizers are applied along with irrigation water through irrigation system like drip to achieve higher fertilizer use efficiency as well as increasing the crop yield. In this process, nutrient solutions are injected into the irrigation water using an appropriate injection device. It provides essential elements directly to the active root zone, thus reducing nutrient losses, which ultimately leads to improved productivity as well as quality of the produce and minimizes environmental pollution. In a fertigation system, the timing, quantity, concentration and ratio of the nutrients can be easily controlled. Nutrients can be applied during the growing season based on crop need, hence saving in amount of fertilizer applied, due to reduction in leaching losses and increased water use efficiency. It is safer application method, as it minimizes the chances of damage to the roots due to higher dose. Due to this improved control, optimum yield and higher quality of produce are achieved than those produced by traditional fertilizer application. Use of fertigation system to apply fertilizer reduces the need of mechanical operations or sometimes completely eliminates them. Smaller amounts of fertilizer can be applied quickly to solve any deficiency issues and highly mobile nutrients such as nitrogen can be carefully managed to ensure uptake by the crop at faster rate. Fertigation has become a striking method of fertilizer application in modern intensive agriculture system.

Keywords: Fertigation, Nutrient losses, Environmental pollution, Water use efficiency

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Fertigation An efficient means for fertilizer application .pdf