Fertigation, Chemigation and Modern Agriculture

Fertigation and Chemigation are part of modern commercial agriculture and horticulture practices.  Both techniques are useful for cash crops, which are agricultural crops grown to sell for profit. Fertigation and Chemigation are cost effective and environment friendly.  

What is Fertigation? 

Fertigation is the technique of supplying fertilizers through an irrigation system. In this process, fertilizers are injected into the roots of the plants. Fertigation technique is used to avoid fertilizer imbalance.  Fertigation is a part of more advanced technology called Chemigation. The most important aspect in fertigation is that the fertilizer to be injected should be complementary to the yield of crop. 

The practice of fertigation is sometimes called micro irrigation. Over fifty countries in the world follow micro irrigation. In India, micro irrigation is employed in more than ten lakh hectares of land.  

What are the two types of Fertigation?

Two types of injection methods are used under Fertigation. They are Venturi injection and Pump injection. 

In Venturi injection process, fertilizers are injected into the root system of a plant by creating vacuum. Venturi is the device used for creating vacuum. This device uses water as a motive fluid. The movement of motive fluid through the Venturi creates vacuum prompting the roots to absorb fertilizers.

The technique of injecting a pulsating stream of liquid by using reciprocating action is called Pump injection.  Electricity or water itself powers the engine to ensure sufficient pressure for injection. The chemicals to be injected must be soluble in water and must be compatible. 

What are the advantages of Fertigation technique?

The major advantages of Fertigation are:
i.    Optimum supply of macro ( nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus) and micro (sulphur, boron and magnesium) nutrients
ii.    Control on irrigation systems
iii.    Better quality crop
iv.    Better yield for the crop. 

What is chemigation? 

Chemigation is an advanced version of fertigation. This practice uses an irrigation system to distribute both the water and agrichemicals including pesticides to cropland.  In Chemigation, substances injected include herbicides, algaecides, fungicides and insecticides. Besides, in certain cases, soil penetrants , fumigants and pH control chemicals are  also injected into the root zone of the plant. Chemigation reduces risks associated with ground water contamination and run-off of agricultural chemicals
 

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