Rhizobox Irrigation systems
Passive Rhizon Irrigators
RRP Rhizon Irrigators (by Rhizophere Research Products) are the perfect match to VSI rhizoboxes / RhizonBoxes by allowing to apply water or nutrient solutions where and when it matters! The placement of Irrigators at different depth allows either for a most homogeneous water supply throughout your box but also to mimic droughts and the inherent depletion of soil moisture from the top down more realistically, e.g. shifting water supply gradually to Rhizon Irrigators placed deeper in your rhizoboxes.
Passive irrigation can be reached if storage containers (with water or other solutions) are placed at the same height as the boxes. By changing the difference in height level between the storage container and the experimental root box, you can influence the suction. For example, when the transparent male luer of the Rhizon Irrigator is connected to a water container and the water level is under the level of the Rhizon Irrigator in the experimental pot, this means there is suction - allowing to implement a plethora of soil water conditions. As soil properties and plants' water uptake vary considerable, a pre-test is recommended to establish specific soil moisture levels.
Instead of applying irrigation only, also experiments with fertiliser or polluted solutions can be conducted - e.g. simulating the accumulation of excess concentrations of salt as occurring frequently under suboptimal irrigation.
To allow for a one-stop solution, all RRP products can be ordered at VSI when ordering Rhizo- or RhizonBoxes. Add Rhizon Irrigators to your next Rhizobox / RhizonBox order!
RhIzon Irrigators - TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
All Rhizon Irrigators (RRP # 19.21.71) have a porous part (15 cm) with a diameter of 2.5 mm. At one end of the porous part there is a 100 cm tube with male luer lock, at the other end a 60 cm tube with female luer lock and stop cock. The porous part is reinforced with nylon wire. Store in a dry, normally ventilated place, away from sources of heat, ignition and direct sunlight. Store between 0 and 50°C - the membrane modules should not be subjected to freezing. All Rhizon Irrigators are sold per set of 10.
rhizon Irrigators - Installation
- During soil filling, place the porous part of the Rhizon Irrigator in the Rhizobox / Rhizonbox at selected position
- Channel the tubes up to the soil surface at respective sides inside or use the exit holes at the sides (if available)
- Make sure to achieve good contact between soil and the porous part of the Rhizon Irrigator
- Connect the male luer lock to a reservoir with water / nutrient solution / etc.
- Connect a (relaxed) syringe to the stopcock (at the female luer lock), open the stopcock and pull the plunger of the syringe
- Close the stopcock when water / solution enters the syringe. Make sure there are no air bubbles left in the tubing of the Rhizon Irrigator!
- Remove the syringe
- Adjust the reservoirs' water level at approx. the same height as the porous part (of the Rhizon Irrigator) for passive irrigation - solution will flow into the soil as it get dry. Change the height of the reservoir (or its water level) to modify the rate of soil rewetting
- IMPORTANT! The top end (blue female luer + stopcock) of the Rhizon Irrigator has to be flushed regularly (steps 5 to 7) to remove air bubbles - which occur due to the subatmospheric pressure in the system. The air bubbles are easily noticed in the "highest" part of the tubing!
Please contact us if you are interested in an automatic flushing systems using many Rhizon Irrigators in large experimental rhizo(n)box settings.