Evaluating a contaminant using a center pivot irrigation system
1999
Maw, B.W. | Young, J.R. | Marti, L.R.
In measuring the biological effect of a contaminant that may be present in irrigation water, a center pivot was used to apply both irrigation water and contaminant on to seedling plants. The four independent treatment variables tested were: contaminant concentration in the irrigation water; presence or absence of organic matter in the irrigation water; presence or absence of oil as a carrier for the contaminant in the irrigation water; and the availability of seedling plants of various sensitivities to the contaminant. The dependent variable was the phytotoxic response in terms of discoloration and stunting in the growth of the seedling plants. An aquatic herbicide, bensulfuron, was the contaminant. The seedling plants chosen were sweet corn, turnip, field pea, pumpkin and Chinese cabbage. The contaminant was phytotoxic to turnip and Chinese cabbage. There was a difference in the biological response for each concentration of the contaminant. The presence of organic matter in irrigation water did not affect the biological response of the contaminant. Mixing the contaminant with oil before injection into the irrigation water gave a reduction in biological response on Chinese cabbage but not on turnip. Since the technique used equipment likely to be available where a center pivot is being used, and did not involve the use of expensive analytical instruments, its use may be considered for measuring the biological effect of other contaminants on a field scale.
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