Title: Direct Irrigation,
A
Process for Stimulating Plant Growth
and Preventing
Water Loss in Irrigation by
Supplying Plant Roots Directly with Plain Water
Along with Mechanisms for
the Implementation of this Process
By
David F Mayer and Stefan Ehrlich
Direct Irrigation
Technology
Technical Area
Table of Contents
1.1. What this Invention Accomplishes
1.1.1. Stimulation of Plant Growth
1.1.2. Conservation of Water in Irrigation
1.1.3. Prevention of Fertilizer Waste into Ground Water and Runoff
1.2. Three Major Chemical Inputs for Plant Growth
1.2.1. The Character of Water Absorption by Plant Roots
1.2.2. The Character of Oxygen Absorption by Plant Roots
1.2.3. The Character of Nutrient Absorption
1.3. The Moist Rich Soil Fallacy
1.4. Thermodynamic Operation of the Leaf
1.5. The Boundary Layer of Increased Solute Concentration
1.6. Most Water Entering the Soil Is Wasted
1.7. Most Fertilizer Is Wasted
1.8. Bypassing the Soil Solution Is the Process of Direct Irrigation
2. Current (Indirect) Irrigation Art and Natural Watering
2.1. Dissolved Solutes Block the Root Absorption of Water and Trace Nutrients from the Soil
2.2. Release of Salts from Clay Minerals
2.3. Accumulation of Salts from Irrigation Water
2.4. Current Art Facilitates Overheating of the Leaf
2.5. Current Agricultural Science Does Not Recognize the Negative Effects of Dissolved Solutes
Unless Visible Dehydration Occurs
2.6. Current Art Does Not Recognize the Work the Plant Must Perform to Counter Soil Sorption
2.7. Current Art Wastes Most of the Water and Fertilizer Used
2.8. Current Art Does Not Permit the Use of Chemical Growth Stimulants In Agro
2.9. Transient Root Hypoxia Results from Intermittent Flooding.
2.10. Typical Examples of the Failure of Current Art
3. Theory of Operation of Invention
3.1. The Threefold Function of Root Absorption
3.1.1. Plant roots absorb water by diffusion (osmosis).
3.1.2. Plant roots absorb mineral nutrients actively.
3.1.3. Plant roots require oxygen from the atmosphere.
3.2. The Three Forms of Osmotic Resistance
3.2.1. Static Osmotic Resistance
3.2.2. Dynamic Osmotic Resistance
3.2.3. Developmental Osmotic Resistance
3.3. Bypassing Osmotic Resistance
3.4. Multiple Distinct Root Systems Adapted To Soil and Water
3.5. The Plain Water Must Be In Contact With the Atmosphere
3.6. Periodic Overflow Prevents Solute Build-Up
3.7. Results of Direct Contact of Roots with Plain Water
3.8. Current Art Finds It Difficult or Impossible to Root Cuttings of Many Plants
3.9. Why Plant Roots Do Not Outgrow Into Open Water
3.10. This Invention Is Not At All The Same As Hydroponics.
4. Summary of Advantages of Invention over Current Art
4.1. It Circumvents Osmotic Resistance of All Three Kinds
4.1.1. Static Osmotic Resistance Does Not Occur
4.1.2. Dynamic Osmotic Resistance Does Not Occur
4.1.3. Developmental Osmotic Resistance Does Not Occur
4.2. It Does Not Impose Upon the Plants the Tasks of
4.3. The Advantages of This Invention
4.3.1. It Bypasses the Osmotic Barrier
4.3.2. It Reduces the Loss of Water
4.3.3. It Prevents the Degradation of Soil Minerals
4.3.4. It Eliminates Root Hypoxia
4.3.5. It Supports the Use of Growth Stimulants
4.3.6. It Eliminates Nearly All Fertilizer Waste
4.4. Results of Experiments Made By the Authors during the Past Ten Years
4.5. Comparison of This Invention with Current Art
4.6. Under Direct Irrigation, the plant has two parallel absorption systems.
5. Detailed Description of Invention
5.1. The Difference between This Invention and Hydroponics
5.2. Essential Features of Invention in Soil Culture
5.3. Enhancing Root Absorption by Plants in Hydroponic Cultures
6. Adaptation of the Process to Four Modes of Growth In Agro
6.1. Enhancing Rooting of Plant Cuttings In Agro Soil Cultures
6.2. Enhancing Growth of Transferred Plants in Field Soil Cultures
6.3. Enhancing Growth of Plants Grown from Seed in Field Soil Cultures
6.4. Enhancing Growth of Trees Grown in Field Soil Cultures
7. Application of Process to Row Crops In Agro and In Vitro
7.1. The Water Well Used By Itself
7.2. The Water Well Combined with the Fertilizer Well
7.2.1. Side By Side Distribution Systems of Water and Fertilizer
7.2.2. Combined Water and Fertilizer Wells
7.2.3. Fertilizer Well Must Be Operated Differently From A Water Well.
7.3. Enhancing Rooting of Plant Cuttings In Vitro Soil Cultures
7.3.1. For Home Use
7.3.2. For Greenhouse Use
7.4. Enhancing Growth of Transferred Plants In Vitro Soil Cultures
7.5. Enhancing Growth of Plants Grown From Seed In Vitro Soil Cultures
7.6. Improvised Compact Center Water Well Pot
7.7. Custom Designed Compact Center Well Pot
7.8. Rooting of Grape Cuttings
7.9. Automation of Watering
7.9.1. Automatic Watering Using Standard Components
7.9.2. Automatic Watering Using Custom Components
8.1. Elimination of Osmotic Resistance
8.2. Water Well
8.3. Enhancement of Water Absorption
8.4. Induction of Two Distinct Root Systems
8.5. Elimination of Thermodynamic Work Required for Water Desorption
8.6. Conservation of Irrigation Water
8.7. Elimination of Intermittent Water Availability
8.8. Fertilizer Well
8.9. Induction of Tertiary Root System when Used with Fertilizer Well
8.10. Reduction in Fertilizer Use and Prevention of Fertilizer Pollution
8.11. Direct Absorption of Fertilizer Without Reduction in Water Absorption
8.12. Reduction of Release of Sodium Salts from Soil Minerals
8.13. Reduction of Mineral Accumulation in Topsoil
8.14. Reduction of Lifting of Soda and Salt
8.15. Enhancement of Micronutrient Absorption
8.16. Makes General Use of Growth Stimulants Possible
8.17. Unique Mechanisms
8.18. This invention is not obvious
8.19. This invention is original
The process disclosed by this patent prevents the loss of irrigation water and stimulates plant growth. The Water Well of this process supplies roots growing in soil directly with bulk water. This process supplies roots with plain water, free of dissolved nutrients, in addition to supplying them with a separate nutrient solution. This process induces two or more distinct root systems in a single plant. One root system absorbs nutrients from the soil solution. The second root system absorbs plain water from the Water Well. The third absorbs macronutrients. The process also permits the application of fertilizer without loss to runoff or groundwater.