At the beginning of December 2022, a 60cm Drill & Drop Moisture probe was installed in a strawberry field at the Lauria company, thanks to the collaboration with Sherena, a Sentek dealer in Southern Italy.
The aim of the study was to document water use based on plant requirements. The test was conducted in a greenhouse, 1 ha in size, growing strawberries at 70,000 plants /ha.
In previous seasons, water was applied every 2 days for the duration of the crop. This method of irrigation led to excessively high levels of soil moisture throughout the profile. The study showed that the strawberry plants did not require watering for 54 days due to the residual high levels of soil moisture.
The study demonstrated that the plant is the best sensor and with data interpreted in IrriMAX Live, key plant insights can be established, with no adverse effects on yield and vigor.
In this study IrriMAX Live was used to establish where the active root zone of the strawberry plant is, how long and deep the irrigation was and how much water is extracted by the plant. The study showed a correlation between irrigation depth and the active roots, which are active to 20cm only. This also assisted in fertigation efficiency, with the first fertigation occurring on the 1st of February 2023. The graph shows how only the first two layers of soil were irrigated and no water went below the active root zone. With specific plant based irrigation and fertilizer management, plants were able to access the fertilizer and water being applied in the active root zone. By not overwatering the soil profile, the root system was shown to be more efficient in water extraction and fertilizer uptake.
In conclusion, 54 days without irrigation assisted the strawberry plants to increase root activity and growth. Continued monitoring in IrriMAX Live improved understanding of where the active root zone was. Strawberry plants in this study experienced a reduction in plant water usage compared to previous seasons, and realized a comparable crop yield, plant health and fruit quality.
By using the plant as the sensor and IrriMAX Live to gain key plant insights, water use can be reduced while not effecting yield and quality.
