DRIP IRRIGATIONE FOR STRAWBERRIES

CULTURAL BACKGROUND

Strawberry (Fragaria spp.) is a perennial herbaceous stoloniferous plant with a rhizomatous stem and a shallow root system. There are different strawberry species and varieties, which have different morphological and physiological characteristics.

In general, the strawberry is a species that is extremely sensitive to photoperiod, light intensity and temperature, factors that, in combination with pedological aspects and cultivation techniques (irrigation, fertilisation, etc.), determine a different plant response in terms of vegetative-productive performance.

WATER REQUIREMENTS

Strawberries grown in the soil, in the open field or in forced or semi-forced systems (greenhouses or tunnels), are particularly demanding in terms of water resources; in fact, both spring-summer and autumn transplants have a high water requirement.

The plant is very sensitive to water scarcity even for short periods of time; therefore, short-term and very frequent irrigation work is necessary in order not to induce significant stress on the plants, especially in sandy soils. In order to facilitate the rooting of young seedlings, it is often advisable to irrigate abundantly a few days before transplantation in order to moisten the soil well.

IRRIGATION SYSTEM FOR STRAWBERRIES

The most suitable irrigation system for this crop is the drip system, due to its high efficiency (>90%) and the possibility of evenly distributing water and fertiliser without wetting the fruit and leaves.

With reference to the most classic system for growing strawberries in the soil (cultivation under tunnels with ridges and mulching cloth), the Irritec solution relies on a single lightweight drip line such as Irritec Tape, Irritec eXXtreme Tape, or Irritec P1, which is spread along the row of seedlings (in the middle of the row in the case of a double row), under the plastic sheet; the spacing between the drip points can vary from 15 to 30 cm, while the flow rates from 0.90 to 2.10 litres/hour per drip head. In sandy soil and/or a double row, it is often necessary to use 10 cm spacing, higher flow rates per hour or even one double drip line per row.

FILTRATION

Due to the low flow rates of the drip heads used, filtration of the water resource is critical to crop success. Water treatment should be selected and sized according to the characteristics of the water source (flow rate and water quality).

In the presence of surface water (rivers, lakes, canals, man-made basins), sand filters or self-cleaning discs (e.g. the Irritec RSL filter) are recommended, whereas in the case of wells the appropriate option is a hydrocyclone and disc or mesh filter in succession.

FERTIGATION FOR STRAWBERRIES

In the cultivation of strawberries in soil it is particularly important to equip the irrigation system with a fertigator capable of dosing nutrients in the appropriate percentages and correcting the two main parameters of the nutrient solution (pH and EC).

The strawberry prefers nutrient solutions with a pH of between 5.5 and 6.5 to promote absorption of most nutrients, and with an electrical conductivity almost always lower than 1200 MS/cm2, as higher values may be toxic for many varieties.

It is advisable to use fertigators such as Dosabox Junior Automatic which, in tandem with a volumetric counter installed on the main line, is able to proportionally inject up to 3 different fertilisers in the pipeline, while monitoring pH and EC; the ease of use of this fertirrigator and its high reliability make it extremely suitable for growing strawberries in soil, allowing the optimal distribution of all the micro and macronutrients needed by the plant to achieve its maximum productivity.

AUTOMATION

To automate the irrigation system you can opt for Commander EVO Basic, a highly professional controller that not only guarantees reliability in setting irrigation shifts and watering volumes, but also allows you to minimise running costs mainly related to opening and closing solenoid valves in the field, cleaning filters and setting fertigation.

The controller also offers the possibility of installing volumetric metres, weather stations and agri-environmental monitoring sensors so that the real water stress of the crop can be assessed and monitored and what the plant actually needs can be returned.