The aim of this study was to evaluate the spatial and temporal fertilizer distribution uniformity in a drip fertigation system, installed in an experimental area with passion fruit crop in Piracicaba, SP, Brazil. The discharge of emitter was 2.4 L h-1 and a fertilizer injector pump of hydraulic action was used. The injection time of solution was of one hour. To evaluate the uniformity of nutrients distribution samples of solution were collected 2, 12, 22, 32, 42, and 52 min after the start of fertigation in the emitters from the first plant (2 m) and in the emitters localized at 1/3 (10 m) and 2/3 (22 m) distance of lateral line length and those installed on last plant (34 m) of each lateral line. The fertilizer concentration in the samples was determined by the electrical conductivity of the solutions. The relation between the minimum and the mean electrical conductivity values was used to evaluate the fertilizers distribution uniformity. The distribution uniformity indexes in the lines washed before the fertigation were higher compared to others. It was observed that the uniformity increased with time until 42 min after the injection and maintained constant thereafter.
uniformity coefficient; electrical conductivity; irrigation uniformity
