Irrigation Use by Mulched

 Staked Tomatoes in North Florida

 F. M. Rhoads

 Water management districts in Florida are encouraging crop

producers to use water for irrigation more efficiently because of

increased demand on the water supply by a rapidly increasing

population. More efficient water use (i.e. greater crop production

per unit of water used) makes water available to more users and

reduces nutrient leaching and pesticide movement in soil profiles.

Irrigation use permits are required in order for tomato growers and

other irrigation users to withdraw water from wells and streams.

Permits for irrigation use are based on both a maximum daily use

rate and seasonal total amount. Therefore, the purpose of water

use permits is two fold, first to conserve water and second to

protect the environment.

 This report was written to provide tomato growers with a

source of data on which to base requests for irrigation use

permits. Tomato growers need to be assured that adequate water use

is permitted to produce a profitable yield while water management

officials are concerned about conservation in order for everyone to

have water. Irrigation use and tomato fruit yields are reported

for three experiments covering a wide range of environmental

conditions. Seasonal irrigation use was calculated for a 120-day

growing season, therefore, actual irrigation use will vary with

length of growing season. The purpose of this report is not to

establish a daily water use rate or seasonal amount of irrigation