July 2020 - 7

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Stay alert to vegetables' water needs
While publication of the FDA's
STEC Action Plan has captured
headlines in recent weeks,
growers of leafy greens have
been urged to 'leave room'
to focus on crop quality and
plant health issues alongside
microbiological safety.
Published in late May, FDA's
2020 Leafy Greens STEC
Action Plan contains a set
of preventative, responsive
and evaluative measures to
ensure the microbiological
safety of leafy greens.
It focuses on improving
agricultural water safety.
" It's a valuable document and
definitely a step in the right
direction, " says Mike Williams,
CEO of California-based crop
nutrition specialists OMEX®
Agrifluids. " By adopting unified
standards on water usage,
testing and communication,
we'll certainly improve
food safety and consumer
confidence in this valuable and
healthy crop.
" It's important, however, that
growers continue to address
their agronomic aspects of
good water management to
ensure a good, strong crop in
2020. "
Williams suggests most
growers will already be
conducting irrigation 'preflight'
checks in order to
ensure that their irrigation
decisions are based on firm
evidence. " Soil moisture
levels, water composition, soil
samples - all those should
already be in your log, as
the basis for your irrigation
calculations.
" Others may be relying
on sensors and weather
data analysis to guide their
irrigation strategy. "
But Williams says one thing a
lot of growers overlook is the
soil's ability to allow water to
properly penetrate, and reach
the crop's roots.
" If your soil's water penetration
is compromised, the crop
can find itself under-irrigated
despite the irrigation
calculations being correct. "
Excess magnesium or sodium
within the soil can cause
individual clay particles to
clump together. This blocks
the soil pores, preventing free
movement of water through
the soil profile. Displacing the
magnesium can restore
water penetration.
Williams says it's somewhat
frustrating to see water
penetration issues going
undetected so often, because
it's a relatively simple issue to
address. " It's as easy as adding
calcium to the irrigation water
supply, " he says.
" Gypsum is an option and
it's inexpensive. However, if
you're using drip irrigation,
gypsum presents a major
disadvantage, " Williams warns.
" If you've even small traces of
bicarbonate in your irrigation
water, then there's a risk that
it will end up blocking your
system with lime deposits. "
To avoid this, Williams suggests
growers turn to solutions
containing calcium nitrate.
OMEX®
has developed its own
calcium nitrate formulation
- Cell Power SLYCE®
Ca8% -
which also contains humic acid.
" Humic acid increases the
capacity of the soil's colloidal
structure, " explains Williams.
" By creating a more friable soil
structure, it increases waterholding
capacity and aeration.
" Short-chained sugars are
an additional component in
SLYCE®
. As well as maximizing
the soluble calcium, these can
help to stabilize aggregates in
surface soil and improve water
infiltration. "
In addition to improving
water penetration within
the soil profile, SLYCE®
also
increases available fertility -
especially when applied after
granular fertilizers such as
DAP and MAP.
Learn more at
www.omexusa.com.
The product names and brands
referenced here are registered and
trademarks of OMEX®
Agrifluids,
Inc. © OMEX® Agrifluids, Inc. 2020.
Call 559-661-6138
Visit www.omexusa.com
Email omexusa@omex.com
http://www.omexusa.com http://www.omexusa.com
July 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of July 2020
