Progress 09/26/03 to 08/31/08
Outputs
Progress Report Objectives (from AD-416) Determine the amount of leachate in pot-in-pot nurseries due to different levels of drop irrigation and rainfall; determine levels of nutrient and pesticide residues in leachate with various irrigation schedules and pesticide spray application methods; determine the relationship between the amount of irrigation and soil moisture content in individual pots before and after leaching of water. Approach (from AD-416) In cooperation with the ARS Application Technology Research Unit, Wooster, OH, perform the following: An experimental system will be established in a plot in Willoway Nurseries, Inc. The system will contain leaching collection devices, soil moisture probes and pot-in-pot trees. Factors to be examined in this study will be: total amount of irrigation, rainfall and leachate from the plot; start and stop times for leaching; types of trees; types of soil; soil moisture content; soil temperature; and chemical residue levels. Precipitation and other conditions will be observed with a weather station. Water samples from the leaching will be collected weekly, and chemical residues in samples will be analyzed in the laboratory. After multi-test results are obtained, a potentially automatic irrigation control system will be proposed or developed for pot- in-pot tree nurseries with the best scheduling management of irrigation and pesticide application to be used in models to provide best management practices. Significant Activities that Support Special Target Populations In nursery production, knowledge of water quality and quantity is needed to improve irrigation and fertilizer application efficiency as it relates to potential for soil and groundwater contamination. Water and fertilizer use and loss as well as tree growth were investigated for Red Sunset maple trees in a pot-in-pot system with two different potting media and one coal ash based medium. The two potting media mainly composed of aged pine bark and steamed composted nursery trimmings as well as left-over potting mix from commercial nurseries, but one with high initial amendments (Medium #1) and the other one with low initial amendments. The coal ash based medium (Medium #3) was mainly composed of biosolids, flue gas desulfurization gypsum, and coal combustion bottom ash. Trickle irrigation was applied to each tree with an automatic control system. Watering trees started when the medium moisture was below 30%, and stopped when the moisture was 42%. During two-year tests, the amount of water including irrigation and rainfall applied to each tree with Medium #1, #2 and #3 was 999, 1024 and 765 L, respectively. The amount of water loss through drainage for each tree with Medium #1, #2 and #3 was 114, 225 and 110 L, respectively. Among the tree media, Medium #1 produced the highest tree growth rate, followed by the Medium #2. The coal ash based medium had great potentials to be used for nursery production. Experiments were conducted to determine water drainage and nutrient leachate for different moisture levels with various nutrition application treatments. Research findings demonstrated that applying the top dressed, slow release, granular fertilizer to trees at the beginning of the growing season might be enough to support healthy growth for redbuds and pears for the first year. Application of additional nutrients to these two species during the first growing season might not be necessary. The system continuously monitored the substrate temperature and moisture content during four seasons of a year, and provided a technical tool to evaluate the potentials of winter injury or summer heat damage to roots for pot-in-pot nursery production. The cooperator provided one-acre field with 150 pot-in-pot grown trees for the study. The cooperator also assisted to design test plans including selection of types of potting substrate, tree species and nutrition elements. Every year, we have an annual meeting to summarize experimental results and make plans for next year study.
Impacts
(N/A)
Publications
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Progress 10/01/06 to 09/30/07
Outputs
Progress Report Objectives (from AD-416) Determine the amount of leachate in pot-in-pot nurseries due to different levels of drop irrigation and rainfall; determine levels of nutrient and pesticide residues in leachate with various irrigation schedules and pesticide spray application methods; determine the relationship between the amount of irrigation and soil moisture content in individual pots before and after leaching of water. Approach (from AD-416) In cooperation with the ARS Application Technology Research Unit, Wooster, OH, perform the following: An experimental system will be established in a plot in Willoway Nurseries, Inc. The system will contain leaching collection devices, soil moisture probes and pot-in-pot trees. Factors to be examined in this study will be: total amount of irrigation, rainfall and leachate from the plot; start and stop times for leaching; types of trees; types of soil; soil moisture content; soil temperature; and chemical residue levels. Precipitation and other conditions will be observed with a weather station. Water samples from the leaching will be collected weekly, and chemical residues in samples will be analyzed in the laboratory. After multi-test results are obtained, a potentially automatic irrigation control system will be proposed or developed for pot- in-pot tree nurseries with the best scheduling management of irrigation and pesticide application to be used in models to provide best management practices. Significant Activities that Support Special Target Populations This report documents research conducted under a Specific Cooperative Agreement between ARS and Willoway Nurseries, Inc. Additional details of the research can be found in the report for the parent project 3607-21620- 006-00D Biological, Microclimate, and Transport Processes Affecting Pest Control Application Technology. In nursery production, knowledge of water quality and quantity is needed to improve irrigation and fertilizer application efficiency as it relates to potential for soil and groundwater contamination. Water and fertilizer use and loss as well as tree growth were investigated for Red Sunset maple trees in a pot-in-pot system with two different potting media and one coal ash based medium. The two potting media mainly composed of aged pine bark and steamed composted nursery trimmings as well as left-over potting mix from commercial nurseries, but one with high initial amendments (Medium #1) and the other one with low initial amendments. The coal ash based medium (Medium #3) was mainly composed of biosolids, flue gas desulfurization gypsum, and coal combustion bottom ash. Trickle irrigation was applied to each tree with an automatic control system. Watering trees started when the medium moisture was below 30%, and stopped when the moisture was 42%. During two-year tests, the amount of water including irrigation and rainfall applied to each tree with Medium #1, #2 and #3 was 999, 1024 and 765 L, respectively. The amount of water loss through drainage for each tree with Medium #1, #2 and #3 was 114, 225 and 110 L, respectively. Among the tree media, Medium #1 produced the highest tree growth rate, followed by the Medium #2. The coal ash based medium had great potentials to be used for nursery production. Experiments were conducted to determine water drainage and nutrient leachate for different moisture levels with various nutrition application treatments. Research findings demonstrated that applying the top dressed, slow release, granular fertilizer to trees at the beginning of the growing season might be enough to support healthy growth for redbuds and pears for the first year. Application of additional nutrients to these two species during the first growing season might not be necessary. The system continuously monitored the substrate temperature and moisture content during four seasons of a year, and provided a technical tool to evaluate the potentials of winter injury or summer heat damage to roots for pot-in-pot nursery production. Document monitoring activities for the project within Question 3: The cooperator provided one-acre field with 150 pot-in-pot grown trees for the study. The cooperator also assisted to design test plans including selection of types of potting substrate, tree species and nutrition elements. Every year, we have an annual meeting to summarize experimental results and make plans for next year study.
Impacts
(N/A)
Publications
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Progress 10/01/05 to 09/30/06
Outputs
Progress Report 4d Progress report. This report serves to document research conducted under a Specific Cooperative Agreement between ARS and Willoway Nurseries, Avon, Ohio. Additional details of research can be found in the report for the parent CRIS 3607-21620-006-00D Biological, Microclimate, and Transport Processes Affecting Pest Control Application Technology. The research of this project is directed towards ARS National Program 305, Crop Production. In nursery production, knowledge of water quality and quantity is needed to improve application efficiency and efficacy due to irrigation and rainfall following pesticide spray application as it relates to potential for soil and groundwater contamination. In cooperation with Willoway Nurseries, Inc., Avon, Ohio, a multi-purpose experimental pot-in-pot production system was established and expanded in a plot in north Ohio. Experiments were conducted to determine water drainage and nutrient leachate for different
moisture levels with various nutrition application treatments. Research findings demonstrated that applying the top dressed, slow release, granular fertilizer to trees at the beginning of the growing season might be enough to support healthy growth for redbuds and pears for the first year. Application of additional nutrients to these two species during the first growing season might not be necessary. The system continuously monitored the substrate temperature and moisture content during four seasons of a year, and provided a technical tool to evaluate the potentials of winter injury or summer heat damage to roots for pot-in-pot nursery production.
Impacts
(N/A)
Publications
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Progress 10/01/04 to 09/30/05
Outputs
4d Progress report. This report serves to document research conducted under a specific cooperative agreement between ARS and Willoway Nurseries, Inc. Additional details of research can be found in the report for the parent CRIS 3607-21620-006-00D Biological, Microclimate, and Transport Processes Affecting Pest Control Application Technology. In nursery production, knowledge of water quality and quantity is needed to improve application efficiency and efficacy due to irrigation and rainfall following pesticide spray application as it relates to potential for soil and groundwater contamination. In cooperation with Willoway Nurseries, Inc., a multi-purpose experimental pot-in-pot production system was established and expanded in a plot in north Ohio. The experimental system was successfully tested to monitor levels of nutrient and pesticide residues in leachate with various irrigation schedules and pesticide spray application methods. The system continuously monitored
the substrate temperature and moisture content during four seasons of a year, and provided a technical tool to evaluate the potentials of winter injury or summer heat damage to roots for pot-in-pot nursery production. It provided a method to monitor not only water and nutrient loss but also monitor conditions that could cause changes in water and nutrient application in tree production. The system helped identify application methods to produce healthy nursery and horticultural crops with minimal water consumption and nutrient and pesticide leaching. Growers have used the research outputs to improve their production management with less irrigation water and fertilizer utilization.
Impacts
(N/A)
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Progress 10/01/03 to 09/30/04
Outputs
4. What were the most significant accomplishments this past year? D. Progress Report. This report serves to document research that was conducted under a Specific Cooperative Agreement between ARS and Willoway Nurseries, Inc. in Avon, OH. Additional details of the research can be found in the report for the parent CRIS 3607-21620-006-00D Biological, Microclimate, and Transport Processes Affecting Pest Control Application Technology. In nursery production, knowledge of water quality and quantity is needed to improve application efficiency and efficacy due to irrigation and rainfall following pesticide spray application as it relates to potential for soil and groundwater contamination. A multi-purpose experimental pot- in-pot production system has been established in a plot in north Ohio. The experimental system was successfully tested to monitor levels of nutrient and pesticide residues in leachate with various irrigation schedules and pesticide spray application
methods. The system will help identify application methods to produce healthy nursery and horticultural crops with minimal water consumption and nutrient and pesticide leaching. Growers have used the 2003-2004 research outputs to improve their production management with less irrigation water and fertilizer utilization in 2004 growing season. The nursery industry and scientific collaborators strongly support to expand the research activities with the experimental system to increase water, pesticide and fertilizer utilization efficiency under the wide variety of tree canopy structure, growing condition, and marketing requirement.
Impacts
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