Evaluation of an Irrigation Water Treatment Technology (MAXGROW) on its Effects to Vegetable Species Yield

Irrigation water quality became worst in terms of increasing its salinity and causes severe problems in many cultivated crop species, resulting in lower yield. In addition, the scarcity of irrigation water due to overuse or runoff is another limitation for increasing food and feed production. Saline water treatment technology offers potential solutions; however this technology is yet expensive and not cost effective for large scale. This study evaluates a water treatment technology (MAXGROW) using ultra sound for treating saline water, for its potential to minimize effects of saline irrigation water and its possible effects of crop productivity. A greenhouse study in pots was undertaken using two substrates (a sandy loam soil and a mixture of pumice and a composted material), four vegetable species (green onions, spinach, radishes and arugula) which were irrigated with two qualities of irrigation water (a highly saline and a regular irrigation water) treated and untreated with the MAXGROW technology. The results showed an increased yield caused by the treated saline water in almost all species and in both growth substrates. The potential of this device was shown to be promising and it is currently under continuous evaluation using more species and higher salinity level irrigation water. Irrigation water efficiency is a potential deliverable from the system.