Water and fertilizer efficiency in a polyculture cropping system under three production systems

Abstract

Abstract Approximately 40% of the water used in intensive agriculture is discarded as ‘drainage,’ which contains high amounts of ions that pollute the environment. This work aimed at investigating polyculture (tomatoes, cucumbers, and lettuce) under three production systems, namely, open (OPS), soil (SPS), and closed (CPS), in which the drainage water from the first crop was used to feed the second crop, and the water from the second crop was used to feed the third crop. The water and fertilizer efficiencies and some physical–chemical properties of the plants and soil were measured. The results showed no significant difference in the yield for polycultures between the CPS and OPS systems. The most efficient system for water use was the CPS, with 54.85 kg m−3, with a water savings of 55.69% compared to the OPS. The efficiency of fertilizers, such as N, P, K, Ca, and Mg, was statistically higher in the CPS, providing more kilograms of fruit per kilogram of nutrients. The reuse of drainage water in a polyculture not only increased the efficiency of the water and fertilizers but also increased the yields produced per cubic meter of water used, thereby minimizing environmental contamination.