Fertigation in extensive farming

Extensive farming is a type of agriculture involving large-scale production and the use of large areas of land. Extensive farming is mainly focused on the production of large-scale crops such as cereals, oilseeds and fibres.

This type of agricultural production system differs from intensive farming in a number of ways:

• In extensive farming, the size of the field is much larger than in intensive farming, a system aimed at achieving high yields on smaller areas of land.
• In intensive farming, more fertiliser and other chemicals are used per metre of soil to ensure that a higher crop yield is achieved.
• Intensive farms require a higher financial outlay, but in return the profit margin is higher.
• Intensive farms tend to have a greater impact on the local environment due to their excessive acceleration of production.

How should fertilisation be performed in extensive farming?

There are various ways of fertilising in extensive farming, but without a doubt, the most efficient, quickest and easiest method is fertigation. Through this method, the fertiliser and other necessary products are dissolved in the irrigation water so that the plant can absorb them and thus receive the necessary nutrients to ensure its growth.

In extensive agriculture, irrigation is carried out through sprinklers and pivots, methods that facilitate the application of water and nutrients to crops that cover large areas. Each of these systems is used as appropriate to the soil and environmental conditions.

• Pivot fertigation uses an automatic irrigation system that moves in circles, delivering water and fertiliser to the soil as it moves.
• Sprinkler fertigation uses an irrigation system that sprays water and fertiliser onto crops.

Unlike other fertilisation methods where fertiliser is applied once or twice, fertigation allows fertiliser to be applied continuously as the plant grows. This ensures that the crop continuously receives the nutrients necessary for its proper development.

As well as benefiting the crop in numerous ways, fertigation also offers great benefits for the farmer, who no longer has to go out into the field on foot or with a tractor to fertilise manually. Fertigation is a simpler and more convenient solution for irrigation management in fields used for extensive production.

ITC for controlled fertiliser dosing in fertigation

In fertigation, the amount of fertiliser used and how it is applied to the irrigation water are very important. To ensure proper dosing of fertiliser and the other products being applied to the crop via fertigation, ITC dosing pumps are the best option.

Through the efficient use of fertiliser, ITC’s fertigation solution ensures the correct delivery of nutrients to the plant and reduces the amount of resources used by preventing improper use of them. This is accomplished in a simple and intuitive way thanks to its advanced technology that is designed to aid the farmer.

Additionally, ITC solutions allow you to manage irrigation remotely via the Cloud Manager application. You just need a mobile phone or computer. This option allows you to save time and it removes the need to travel within the farm to obtain process information or to make changes to processes.

Contact us and find out more about our dosing pumps!