A game-changer for Water Use Efficiency with precision irrigation

Published on by in Technology

A game-changer for Water Use Efficiency with precision irrigation

Almonds in California. Tomatoes in Spain. Grapes in Ethiopia. Olives in India. Melons in Brazil. The results speak for themselves: growers who irrigate with the Aqua-4D system register better yields and significant water savings in an environmentally friendly, chemical-free and sustainable way. 

“Projected climate change impacts are expected to reduce water supplies and increase water demand. The economic health and sustainability of irrigated agriculture will depend on the ability of producers to adapt to growing constraints on water, particularly through improved water-use efficiency.”                                                      – United States Department of Agriculture

“Although soil moisture constitutes only about 0.005 % of global water resources, it is an important part of the water cycle and a key variable controlling numerous processes and feedback loops within the climate system.”        –  European Environment Agency

With a changing climate and a growing population creating a ‘perfect storm’ for world food supplies, there is currently intense focus on how to feed more people with less resources. Water scarcity one of the biggest concerns, and more efficient water use is at the forefront of one of the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals – Goal 6: Clean Water and Sanitation, which states: “Water scarcity is projected to increase with the rise of global temperatures as a result of climate change. More international cooperation is needed to encourage water efficiency and support treatment technologies in developing countries.”

The key to this is improving not only access to water, but doing much more with existing water through better Water Use Efficiency. Water supply is just one half of the problem – just as imperative is ensuring this moisture stays in the soil long enough for plants to take advantage of it.

Consequently, there is plenty of research underway in how to get the most out of irrigated farming and maintain soil moisture where it’s most needed. This includes everything from using peat moss, perlite (a volcanic glass), membranes and more, to increase absorption properties. And with increasing desertification, there’s also plenty of research into how to grow food in desert environments. Just this year, a team in Chongqing are growing food in Chinese deserts by adding a paste made from a substance in plant cell walls, and a Norwegian innovation gives sand particles a clay coating which allows it to bind with water.

However, much of this innovation is focused on the soil itself. The genius of Aqua-4D’s technology – and its inherent adaptability, whether greenhouse or open field – is that the focus is wholly on the irrigation water itself, meaning it is effective when applied to all conceivable soil types. Better still, the best results have been obtained when faced with the very lowest-quality soils and irrigation water. Subtly transforming the water can have huge knock-on effects on the soil, plants and hence on overall water use efficiency.

WUE: Water Use Efficiency

The FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations) defines Water Use Efficiency (WUE) as “the ratio between effective water use and actual withdrawal”[1]. It is absolutely imperative to effective agricultural output; as the agronomist Gerald Stanhill stated in a renowned 1986 paper: “It is found that where water is the major factor limiting crop growth, any increase in WUE achieved by eliminating or reducing nonproductive water use will lead to an increase in transpiration and yield.”[2] In other words, improving WUE not only  saves water  but also leads to better  yields  down the line. This correlation has been substantiated by several field studies involving growers working with the Aqua-4D® system.  Let’s take a closer look at some of these results.

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