Water Use and Treatment in Container-Grown Specialty Crop Production: A Review

Majsztrik, John; Fernandez, R. Thomas; Fisher, Paul R.; Hitchcock, Daniel R.; Lea‐Cox, John D.; Owen, James S.; Oki, Lorence R.; White, Susan W.

doi:10.1007/s11270-017-3272-1

Cited by 55 publications

(45 citation statements)

References 162 publications

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“…However, such consolidation will not be possible for field-grown plants. More plants per unit area of container-grown crops means higher revenue compared with field production [8]. [13], there were over 2069 commercial nursery and greenhouse farms in Florida, with total sales of $1.796 billion, and $3.291 billion in capital assets in land, buildings and equipment.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Controlled-Release Fertilizers as a Means to Reduce Nitrogen Leaching and Runoff in Container-Grown Plant Production

Chen¹,

Wei²

2018

Nitrogen in Agriculture - Updates

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Container-grown plants refer to plants produced in confined volume filled with substrates. The substrates endogenously have limited nutrients and low water-holding capacity. Plants grown in the containers must be fertilized and watered frequently varying from daily to weekly. Frequent fertilization and irrigation can result in nutrient leaching and/or runoff. Since nitrogen (N) is a key component of the majority of fertilizers, container plant production has been viewed as a source of N leaching and/or runoff. The leaching and runoff, if in large quantities on a year-round basis, could affect surface and ground water quality. Application of controlled-release fertilizers (CRFs) has been reported to have less N leaching than plants fertilized with water-soluble fertilizers (WSFs). However, there are different types of CRFs with different compositions and longevities on the market. Container plants also differ greatly in their growth and development and in N requirement. Thus, production of high-quality container plants with minimum N leaching using CRFs still remains challenging. This article is intended to discuss characteristics of container plant production and N leaching and runoff during production, and to document that CRF application can reduce N leaching and/or runoff. Certain requirements for future development of CRFs are also discussed.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Controlled-Release Fertilizers as a Means to Reduce Nitrogen Leaching and Runoff in Container-Grown Plant Production

Chen¹,

Wei²

2018

Nitrogen in Agriculture - Updates

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“…Water Runoff and Capture: Majsztrik et al [9] defined runoff from specialty crop container operations as coming from two sources: Fresh water sources and operational (irrigation return) water. Fresh water from rainfall or groundwater sources that have not previously come into contact with production areas should not have any significant contaminant load (nutrients, pesticides, pathogens, etc.)…”

Section: Recycling Water-real and Perceived Challengesmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Comparison of Irrigation-Water Containment Methods and Management Strategies Between Two Ornamental Production Systems to Minimize Water Security Threats

Ristvey

Belayneh

Lea‐Cox

2019

Water

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Water security in ornamental plant production systems is vital for maintaining profitability. Expensive, complicated, or potentially dangerous treatment systems, together with skilled labor, is often necessary to ensure water quality and plant health. Two contrasting commercial ornamental crop production systems in a mesic region are compared, providing insight into the various strategies employed using irrigation-water containment and treatment systems. The first is a greenhouse/outdoor container operation which grows annual ornamental plants throughout the year using irrigation booms, drip emitters, and/or ebb and flow systems depending on the crop, container size, and/or stage of growth. The operation contains and recycles 50–75% of applied water through a system of underground cisterns, using a recycling reservoir and a newly constructed 0.25 ha slow-sand filtration (SSF) unit. Groundwater provides additional water when needed. Water quantity is not a problem in this operation, but disease and water quality issues, including agrochemicals, are of potential concern. The second is a perennial-plant nursery which propagates cuttings and produces field-grown trees and containerized plants. It has a series of containment/recycling reservoirs that capture rainwater and irrigation return water, together with wells of limited output. Water quantity is a more important issue for this nursery, but poor water quality has had some negative economic effects. Irrigation return water is filtered and sanitized with chlorine gas before being applied to plants via overhead and micro-irrigation systems. The agrochemical paclobutrazol was monitored for one year in the first operation and plant pathogens were qualified and quantified over two seasons for both production systems. The two operations employ very different water treatment systems based on their access to water, growing methods, land topography, and capital investment. Each operation has experienced different water quantity and quality vulnerabilities, and has addressed these threats using a variety of technologies and management techniques to reduce their impacts.

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“…Regulators also need to be informed about the proactive practices growers have implemented to protect the environment and conserve water resources, so that the consequences of proposed regulations to growers are understood in the context of the changes growers have already implemented, and to better understand the implications of proposed regulatory changes have on grower's profitability and the environment. Implementing new technologies and practices may also help growers reduce water needs, both by changing practices to enhance operational water use efficiency and by developing the infrastructure capacity to treat and reuse water [51,63].…”

Section: Regulations and Policy Considerationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Social and Economic Aspects of Water Use in Specialty Crop Production in the USA: A Review

Majsztrik

Behe

Hall

et al. 2019

Water

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Understanding human behavior is a complicated and complex endeavor. Academicians and practitioners need to understand the underlying beliefs and motivations to identify current trends and to effectively develop means of communication and education that encourage change in attitudes and behavior. Sociological research can provide information about how and why people make decisions; this information impacts the research and extension community, helping them formulate programs and present information in a way that increases adoption rates. Life cycle assessment can document how plant production impacts the environment. Production of ornamental plants (greenhouse, container, and field produced flowers trees and shrubs) accounted for 4.4% of the total annual on-farm income and 8.8% of the crop income produced in the United States in 2017, representing a substantial portion of farmgate receipts. Greenhouse and nursery growing operations can use this information to increase production and water application efficiency and decrease input costs. Information related to the environmental impacts of plant production, derived from life cycle assessment, can also inform consumer purchase decisions. Information from water footprint analysis quantifies the relative abundance and availability of water on a regional basis, helping growers understand water dynamics in their operation and informing consumer plant purchases based on water availability and conservation preference. Economics can motivate growers to adopt new practices based on whether they are saving or making money, and consumers modify product selection based on preference for how products are produced. Specialty crop producers, including nursery and greenhouse container operations, rely heavily on high quality water from surface and groundwater resources for crop production; but irrigation return flow from these operations can contribute to impairment of water resources. This review focuses on multiple facets of the socioeconomics of water use, reuse, and irrigation return flow management in nursery and greenhouse operations, focusing on grower and consumer perceptions of water; barriers to adoption of technology and innovations by growers; economic considerations for implementing new technologies; and understanding environmental constraints through life cycle assessment and water footprint analyses. Specialty crop producers can either voluntarily adapt practices gradually to benefit both economic and environmental sustainability or they may eventually be forced to change due to external factors (e.g., regulations). Producers need to have the most current information available to inform their decisions regarding water management.

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Water Use and Treatment in Container-Grown Specialty Crop Production: A Review

Cited by 55 publications

References 162 publications

Controlled-Release Fertilizers as a Means to Reduce Nitrogen Leaching and Runoff in Container-Grown Plant Production

Controlled-Release Fertilizers as a Means to Reduce Nitrogen Leaching and Runoff in Container-Grown Plant Production

A Comparison of Irrigation-Water Containment Methods and Management Strategies Between Two Ornamental Production Systems to Minimize Water Security Threats

Social and Economic Aspects of Water Use in Specialty Crop Production in the USA: A Review

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