The Effects of fertigation on clogging of in-line emitters

ABSTRACT PhD THESIS THE EFFECT OF FERTIGATION MANAGEMENT OF THE DIFFERENT TYPE OF IN-LINE EMITTERS ON EMITTER CLOGGING Sefer BOZKURT DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURAL STRUCTURES AND IRRIGATION INSTITUTE OF NATURAL AND APPLIED SCIENCES UNIVERSITY OF ÇUKUROVA Supervisor: Prof.Dr.Bülent ÖZEKİCİ Year: 2003, 240 Pages Jury: Prof.Dr.Bülent ÖZEKİCİ Prof.Dr.RızaKANBER Prof.Dr.İbrahim ORTAŞ Prof.Dr.Attila YAZAR Assoc.Prof.Dr.Sermet ÖNDER This study was carried out to determine the effects of different fertigation practices on clogging of in-line emitters using Samandağ region well water. The experiment was conducted at the research field of the Department of Greenhouse, Samandağ vocational Collage, University of Mustafa Kemal, Hatay, in 2001 and 2002. In this study, different fertilizers (no fertilizer, MKP+Ca(N03>2 +KNO3+KSO4+NH4NO3 and NH4NO3+KSO4+MKP) combinations with flushing and nonflushing management groups were applied with three replications. Emitter discharge rates were tested at the beginning and end of every season to determine the rate emitter of clogging. According to the results, it was determined that the different fertilizer forms affected the emitter clogging, differently, and fertilizers which included calcium and sulfides increased the clogging effects more than the others. Emitters that have the lowest flow rates were affected more than the others. The acid treatment and flushing management decreased emitter clogging but, it was not statistically significant. Key Words: drip irrigation, fertigation, clogging, flushing. VI