The Application of Advanced Irrigation Technology in Hardy Ornamental Nursery Bed Systems

摘要

Precise control over plant water status can provide growers with a means of using controlled water deficits to beneficially modify growth, development, and quality. Infra-red (IR) thermographic technology allows remote monitoring of leaf temperature,which can be a good indicator of plant water status because leaf tissues heat up as transpiration is reduced by closure of stomata (a common response to shoot or substrate water deficit). Precise methods of delivering irrigation and nutrients, based on IR imaging and gantry booms that tailor dose to the needs of individual plants, are being developed as part of a new Water-LINK project (Department for Environment, Farming and Rural Affairs). Expected benefits compared with existing nursery systems include minimal water run off, increased crop uniformity, a lower reliance on growth regulators, and less need for nurserymen to monitor the water status of beds.The technology is compatible with a number of emerging technologies in irrigation and plant monitoring.