Skip to Main Content
U.S. Forest Service
Caring for the land and serving people

United States Department of Agriculture

Home > Search > Publication Information

  1. Subirrigation reduces water use, nitrogen loss, and moss growth in a container nursery

    Share via EmailShare on FacebookShare on LinkedInShare on Twitter
    Dislike this pubLike this pub
    Author(s): R. Kasten Dumroese; Jeremy R. Pinto; Douglass F. Jacobs; Anthony S. Davis; Baron Horiuchi
    Date: 2006
    Source: Native Plants Journal, Vol. 7(3):253–261
    Publication Series: Miscellaneous Publication
    PDF: View PDF  (649 KB)

    Description

    With about half the amount of water, subirrigated Metrosideros polymorpha Gaud. (Myrtaceae) grown 9 mo in a greenhouse were similar to those irrigated with an existing fixed overhead irrigation system; moss growth was about 3X greater in the fixed overhead system after 3 mo. Moss growth was affected by the rate of preplant controlled release fertilizer added (more fertilizer, less moss) and moss maturity, quantified as presence or absence of sporangia, was slowed with subirrigation. About 5 g nitrogen (N) leached per m2 (0.02 oz/ft2) of greenhouse bench under the fixed irrigation system, whereas none was lost from subirrigation. Besides Metrosideros macropus, the USDA Forest Service and Purdue University are evaluating subirrigation for nursery production of other species. To date, the results indicate subirrigation may be a useful technique for growing native plants with large canopies where conventional irrigation systems are less effective, or where water use or other environmental concerns are paramount. Dumroese RK, Pinto JR, Jacobs DF, Davis AS, Horiuchi B. 2006. Subirrigation reduces water use, nitrogen loss, and moss growth in a container nursery.

    Publication Notes

    • You may send email to pubrequest@fs.fed.us to request a hard copy of this publication.
    • (Please specify exactly which publication you are requesting and your mailing address.)
    • We recommend that you also print this page and attach it to the printout of the article, to retain the full citation information.
    • This article was written and prepared by U.S. Government employees on official time, and is therefore in the public domain.

    Citation

    Dumroese, R. Kasten; Pinto, Jeremy R.; Jacobs, Douglass F.; Davis, Anthony S.; Horiuchi, Baron. 2006. Subirrigation reduces water use, nitrogen loss, and moss growth in a container nursery. Native Plants Journal, Vol. 7(3):253–261

    Keywords

    irrigation, fertilization, Metrosideros polymorpha, Quercus, Picea, Acacia, Echinacea, electrical conductivity, Myrtaceae

    Related Search

    XML: View XML
Show More
Show Fewer
Jump to Top of Page