The 2009 ASHS Annual Conference

Self-watering containers represent a relatively new gardening concept in annual herbaceous plants, including vegetables and flowers. However, little information about self-watering technique is available for perennial fruit trees since the relative large root system and canopy, which usually gown in drylands, such as grapevine. In this study, we designed a new self-watering system for container-grown grapevine according to the principle of capillary wicking water, and investigated the feasibility for grape production. This system consisted of a container with two holes on the wall, which is placed over a nutrient solution reservoir. Two nonwoven fabric sheets covered with polyester across the holes on the wall, respectively. A stock tank provided the nutrient solution for the above reservoir through plastic tube and the volume of water was remained a stable level. The bottom end of sheets immersed into the nutrient solution and the upper end of sheet was set around the root system. Nutrient-enriched water is wicked up from the reservoir into the potting soil by the nonwoven fabric sheets for grapevine growth. In 2008, two-year-old potted ‘Pione’ grapevines with two branches were transplanted into the above mentioned containers with 22 L volume and defoliated in middle September. After treatment with hydrogen cyanamide, the self-watering grapevines were placed in growth chambers. The full bloom is 15 October, and version stage started from 14 December. The mean length of primary shoot and lateral shoot were 142.7cm and 39.8cm, respectively. Berries with good color were harvested at 10 January 2009. Mean berry weight and total soluble solution (Brix) were 9.1g and 24.5, respectively. The amounts of nutrients uptake by the grapevine for N, P, K, Ca were 5.4g, 2.5g, 8.5g, and 3.5g, respectively. The results showed that besides satisfied yield and good berry quality can be obtained, the self-watering system also can increase water and fertilizer use efficiency, reduce soil surface transpiration, and avoid the environment contaminated by the lead compared with the irrigation for conventional container.