Effective fertilization through irrigation begins with quality watering. Netafim agronomist Luis Furi shares his experience on how precise drip fertilization allows expensive nutrients to be directed directly into the active root zone where they are most needed by crops.
Despite rising fertilizer prices, the solution is not to reduce their quantity. According to Luis Furi, a Netafim agronomist for Southern and Eastern Africa, farmers should focus on increasing the efficiency of nutrient application.
One of the most effective methods for increasing nutrient use efficiency is fertigation—the process of delivering fertilizers through an irrigation system. However, Furi emphasizes that the success of fertigation depends entirely on how competently the irrigation system is managed.
Furi explains that fertigation is the process of delivering fertilizers via irrigation water. He specifies that water-soluble fertilizers are dissolved in the solution, or liquid fertilizers are used directly, after which they are introduced into the irrigation system with precisely controlled concentrations. This ensures the efficient delivery of nutrients according to the specific needs of the crop at different growth stages.
He notes that fertigation delivers nutrients directly into the active root zone, where plants can absorb them most effectively, while minimizing losses and environmental impact.
According to Furi, effective irrigation is the foundation of successful fertigation. Since fertilizers are delivered through the irrigation system, the efficiency of fertigation cannot be higher than the efficiency of the irrigation itself. He advises farmers to first develop an irrigation strategy suitable for the soil type, conditions, and specific crop before implementing a fertigation program.
Improper irrigation management, especially overwatering, causes nutrients to move outside the crop's active root zone, leading to leaching. In addition to wasting expensive fertilizers, leached nutrients can negatively affect natural ecosystems.
Furi asserts that combining fertigation with a properly designed drip irrigation system offers significant advantages. He explains that drip irrigation systems can achieve application efficiencies of up to 95%, ensuring the delivery of both water and nutrients with equal precision. Unlike granular fertilizers, which rely on rain or irrigation to move nutrients into the soil, fertigation supplies the necessary elements exactly when the crops require them.
Since irrigation affects root development over time, nutrient roots concentrate in the moist zone, allowing nutrients to be placed precisely where the active roots are located.
Furi insists that effective fertigation must be considered at the earliest stages of irrigation system design. The system must be capable of delivering the required amount of fertilizer within the available irrigation window. He adds that irrigation systems must match the soil's water-holding capacity, the crop's requirements, and environmental conditions. This process requires collaboration between agronomists and irrigation system designers.
Furthermore, Furi highlights the importance of considering fertilizer solubility, safe application concentrations, and monitoring the electrical conductivity (EC) of solutions to prevent salt damage to plant roots. Automation is becoming increasingly valuable, as modern systems can calculate nutrient needs, track application rates, and collect real-time data. This information helps farmers evaluate past decisions, improve future management, and reduce human error. Furi urges farmers to utilize these technologies.
According to Furi, fertigation technology is rapidly evolving parallel to the widespread adoption of drip irrigation. He notes that modern fertigation technology has progressed from simple manual injection systems to fully automated cloud platforms. These systems allow producers to remotely control irrigation and nutrient application using sensors and data analysis to increase accuracy and efficiency.
Furi recommends several practical steps to improve fertigation operations: understanding fertilizer solubility before use; following the correct order of mixing fertilizers and avoiding incompatible products; irrigating before fertigation to adequately moisten the root zone; continuing to irrigate after application to flush nutrients into the root zone and clean the irrigation lines; regularly flushing irrigation systems to prevent clogging; and developing a robust irrigation strategy before integrating fertigation.
In conclusion, Furi states: 'Effective fertigation starts with effective irrigation. Once water is delivered accurately and evenly, nutrients can be delivered with the same level of precision, maximizing both crop productivity and cost efficiency.'
