Irrigaid GoldTM Soil Surfactant Effect on Soil Nutrient and Water Management Interactions in the Root Zone of Crisp Head and Romaine Lettuce Grown in California.

Adjuvants that increase the ability of soil to retain precious water resources in the root zone, reduce stress related to excessive salt concentrations (EC) in the root zone, and prevent leeching of soil nutrients (N) are of great importance for agricultural production worldwide. Here we test the efficacy of soil conditioner marketed as IrrigAid Gold at 2 qt/a applied via drip tape injection at planting and after thinning in crisphead lettuce grown in a conventional growing system (2 plant lines 12 inches apart on a 40-inch raised bed with two shallow drip tapes, off-centered on each plant line) in Salinas, CA. A normal and reduced (by 25%) nitrogen fertilization regime was used. Remission spectroscopy of canopy greenness and vegetative biomass was measured with a RapidSCAN remote sensing device which records an objective measure of leaf chlorophyll content. Nutrient accumulation, water infiltration and irrigation efficiency were measured by assessments of soil and plant sap fertility instruments, crop vitality and head formation. Numeric and statistically significant improvements in rate of plant growth, yields and gross returns were observed in plots treated with the soil amendments.

Tomato data was unavailable at time of poster development.