Application of drip irrigation technology in facility flower cultivation

Protected flower cultivation is a key area in modern agriculture. Conventional irrigation methods can hardly meet people's requirements for high efficiency, water saving and environmental protection of facility flowers. Drip irrigation technology has shown great application potential in facility flower cultivation due to its accurate water control and significant water and fertilizer utilization efficiency. This article aims to conduct an in-depth study on the advantages and methods of drip irrigation technology in the process of facility flower cultivation, and provide some useful references for promoting the innovation and development of this industry.

Drip irrigation technology can supply the water and nutrients needed by flowers in a timely and quantitative manner, which has obvious advantages over traditional irrigation methods. Precise irrigation for the growth needs of flowers can not only avoid the occurrence of root hypoxia and drought death, but also achieve the purpose of intelligent irrigation. Drip irrigation is also conducive to improving the quality of flowers, reducing pests and diseases, and reducing pesticides and fertilizers. In addition, drip irrigation technology also has the characteristics of saving water, fertilizer, and labor, improving resource utilization efficiency and reducing production costs.

1. Advantages of drip irrigation technology in facility flower cultivation

Drip irrigation technology can directly and accurately deliver water to the roots of flowers, thereby effectively avoiding water waste and ineffective evaporation. The use of small amounts of multiple irrigation methods can keep soil moisture within an appropriate range, providing the best water and vapor conditions for flower growth. This precise control not only improves the utilization rate of water and fertilizer, but also promotes the healthy growth of flowers. Drip irrigation technology can directly deliver water and fertilizer to the roots of flowers, so that water and fertilizer can be absorbed and utilized more effectively. Compared with traditional irrigation methods, drip irrigation reduces water and fertilizer loss and waste, and has high water and fertilizer utilization efficiency. At the same time, drip irrigation can also be used for timed and quantitative irrigation according to the different growth stages and water demand characteristics of flowers, further ensuring the efficient use of water and fertilizer. Drip irrigation technology is conducive to maintaining the stability of soil structure and reducing the risk of soil compaction and salinization. Controlling the amount of irrigation can prevent the soil from being too wet or dry, and provide a stable soil environment for flower growth. In addition, drip irrigation can be combined with fertilization, pesticide application and other measures to absorb directly from the roots to reduce the loss of fertilizers and pesticides and reduce environmental pollution. Drip irrigation technology can reduce the retention of water droplets on the surface of flowers and reduce the risk of pests and diseases. Since water and fertilizer are directly transported to the roots, the leaf surface is moistened and the surface runoff is reduced, and the risk of disease spread is reduced. It is conducive to reducing the use of pesticides and improving the quality and safety of flowers. The drip irrigation system is automated and intelligent, which can reduce the labor of manual irrigation. At the same time, since drip irrigation technology can accurately control the irrigation amount, it can avoid water waste and achieve the purpose of efficient use of water resources. In short, the application of drip irrigation technology in facility flower cultivation has multiple advantages, such as accurate control of water supply, improvement of water and fertilizer utilization rate, improvement of soil environment, reduction of the incidence of pests and diseases, and saving of labor and water resources. These advantages make drip irrigation technology one of the efficient and environmentally friendly irrigation methods in facility flower cultivation, which is conducive to promoting the sustainable development of the flower industry.

2. Specific application of drip irrigation technology in facility flower cultivation - taking peony as an example

For the application of drip irrigation technology in facility flower cultivation, the following article takes peony as the object, studies the irrigation needs of peony in different growth periods, and proposes the application measures of drip irrigation technology.

2.1 Irrigation needs of peony in different periods

The irrigation needs of peony in different periods are different, which is mainly related to the growth stage and seasonal climate conditions.

(1) Early spring growth period (budding period). Irrigation requirements: Appropriate amount of water, but not too much to avoid water accumulation. Irrigation frequency: Flexible adjustment according to soil moisture and weather conditions. Generally, watering is required but not too frequent.

(2) Early spring to early flowering period. Irrigation requirements: Large amount of water is required because the peony is in the stage of leafing and budding at this time and grows faster. Irrigation should maintain a certain soil moisture to avoid shrinkage of branches and leaves and drooping of flower buds. Irrigation frequency: Observe the dryness and wetness of the soil. Once symptoms of water shortage (such as shrinkage of branches and leaves, drooping of flower buds) are found, water should be sprayed immediately and watered in batches. Usually, water is poured slowly in two batches. Do not fill the soil all at once.

(3) Flowering period. Irrigation requirements: Appropriate amount of water, not too wet, to avoid premature withering of flowers and shortening of flowering period. Irrigation can keep the soil slightly moist and slightly dry to meet the needs of flowering and avoid root rot. Irrigation frequency: Adjust according to soil evaporation and weather conditions. Usually, the soil is kept slightly moist.

(4) Summer growth period. Irrigation requirements: A large amount of water is required because the temperature is high in summer and the evaporation is large. When irrigating, be careful to avoid water accumulation to prevent root rot. Irrigation frequency: Water once a day, and adjust according to the moisture retention of the potting soil. At the same time, loosen the soil in time to allow air to ventilate to promote soil moisture evaporation and root respiration.

(5) Autumn growth period (gradually decreasing period). Irrigation requirements: Water requirements gradually decrease because the growth of peonies gradually slows down in autumn. Irrigation can keep the soil slightly moist to avoid excessive moisture that causes root rot. Irrigation frequency: Water about once every 7 to 10 days, and adjust according to the weather and soil moisture.

(6) Winter dormancy period irrigation requirements: Very little water is required because peonies enter a dormant period and their water demand decreases. Try to keep the potting soil dry to avoid excessive water damage to the roots. Irrigation frequency: Water thoroughly once before winter to provide the peony with sufficient water reserves. After that, try not to water unless the soil is too dry.

2.2 Application of drip irrigation technology in peony cultivation

2.2.1 Design and installation of irrigation system

According to the planting scale and growth requirements of peony, a suitable drip irrigation system was designed and installed. The core of the system design is to ensure that water and fertilizer can be evenly and accurately transported to the roots of each peony flower to meet its growth needs. The layout of drip irrigation pipes is very critical in the design of drip irrigation system. The layout should take into account factors such as soil type, terrain conditions, and the planting density and arrangement of peonies. The buried depth of drip irrigation pipesin different types of soil should be different. For example, in light or sandy soil, in order to avoid damage to the drip irrigation pipes by the sun and rain, they are generally buried deep; in heavy soil environments such as heavy clay, the development of the root system is restricted, and the drip irrigation pipes may be buried shallowly in the soil surface [1]. In the design process of drip irrigation system, parameters such as dripper spacing and flow rate are also crucial. The dripper spacing should be determined according to the planting density and growth requirements of peonies to ensure that each peony flower has enough water and nutrients. The water flow of the dripper should be adjusted appropriately according to the water demand of the peony and the soil conditions to prevent excessive flow from wasting water or too small flow from causing adverse effects on the growth of the peony. During the installation of the drip irrigation system, it is necessary to ensure that the drip irrigation pipe is closely connected to the water source to prevent leakage and blockage. High-quality connectors and sealing materials can be used, and the connection is sealed to ensure the stability and reliability of the system. In addition, the drip irrigation system should also take into account future maintenance and updates during the design and installation process. For example, some interfaces and valves can be reserved to facilitate subsequent expansion and modification.

2.2.2 Automation and intelligent control

When using facility flower cultivation to plant peonies, modern drip irrigation system automation and intelligent control devices are generally used, which can make irrigation management more accurate and effective. The soil moisture sensor can monitor the soil moisture in real time to ensure that the water supply to the roots of peony flowers is appropriate. When the soil moisture is less than the set value, the system automatically starts to irrigate to supply the required water to the peony flowers; and when the humidity is too high, the system will reduce or even stop irrigation to avoid diseases caused by excessive humidity at the roots of the peony. The main responsibility of the meteorological observation station is to monitor environmental factors such as temperature and light. Based on this information, the system can intelligently adjust the irrigation time and amount to meet the needs of peony growth in different weather conditions [2]. For example, in the summer when the temperature is high, the system will increase the frequency and amount of irrigation to compensate for the evaporation loss of peony water during high temperatures; and in rainy weather conditions, irrigation will also be reduced to avoid excessive water that affects the growth of peony. The application of these automated and intelligent control devices in the irrigation process not only improves the accuracy and efficiency of irrigation, but also greatly reduces the cost of manual management. Managers do not need to frequently inspect the growth of peony flowers. They only need to regularly check and maintain the equipment to ensure that the peony flowers are properly watered. In addition, the system can record and analyze irrigation data, thereby supporting the decision-making of managers, which is conducive to further optimizing their irrigation strategies and promoting the growth quality and yield of peony flowers.

2.3 Pest and disease control

The use of drip irrigation technology in peony flower facility cultivation has a significant effect on reducing the occurrence of pests and diseases. Because drip irrigation technology uses water and fertilizer to be directly delivered to the roots of flowers, it can effectively reduce the amount of water droplets remaining on the leaves and stems of flowers, thereby greatly reducing the risk of diseases spreading through water droplets [3]. There are many diseases and pests in peony cultivation, such as root rot, gray mold, anthracnose, wilt, cottony scale, and copper green beetle, which are all relatively common. After the peony has a disease and pest problem, it can also be based on the drip irrigation system to mix the pesticide and water and fertilizer evenly, and transport them to the roots of the flowers through the drip irrigation system, which can ensure that the pesticide has a direct impact on the source of the disease or pest and increase the prevention and control effect. For example, for root rot, 30% benomyl aqueous solution 1000 times diluted can be used, and irrigated with the drip irrigation system, once a week, for 2 to 3 consecutive times. For gray mold, 70% pentachloronitrobenzene wettable powder and 70% mancozeb can be mixed evenly in equal amounts, and irrigated with the drip irrigation system to kill pathogens. The amount of medicine used per square meter is 8 to 10 grams. For other diseases, you can use the drip irrigation system with reasonable medicine.

The application of drip irrigation technology in facility flower cultivation can significantly improve irrigation efficiency and fertilizer utilization, improve soil environment, and reduce the occurrence of diseases and insect pests. The precise control of water and fertilizer delivery combined with automation and intelligent control equipment can achieve real-time monitoring and intelligent adjustment of the flower growth environment, thereby improving management efficiency and flower quality. At the same time, this technology can also reduce the waste of water resources and pollution to the environment, which is consistent with the concept of sustainable development.