MAGENTIC WATER TREATMENT FOR IRRIGATION FUTURES 

Save water, increased yield produce/kl of water used, improve quality, increase shelf life, enrich taste, cleanse soil, reduce chemical usage and help the environment.

Introduction

Irrigated agriculture is the most dominant water user in the Australian economy. Therefore the main efficiency gains must come from the dominant user, irrigation, accounting for more than 70% of the total water use in Australia. Small vegatable farms, home gardens, nurseries, parks and sporting fields consume up to 30% total potable water we use in our cities.

Water saving oppertunities

Only 10% of the water stored within the root zone is available for plant up take as over 90% of the water stored within the root zone is consumes by evaporation and transpiration during growing season. 

basically there are two ways by which we can reduce water use for irrigation:

1. Reduce water application losses due to surface runoff and deep percolation below the root zone
2. Reduce losses due to evaporation and transpiration during growing season

University research shows a reduction in transpiration by as much as 32% and farmers confirm elimination of surface runoff and up to 30% water saving and increased produtivity.

Greenhouse experiment

Pea and celery seeds were initially sown in seedling mixture in early May and later transplanted in pots (14 inch pots) containing measured amount of soil. Pea and celery plants (two plants/pot) were transplanted on 4th and 9th of May 2007 respectively. Soil moisture in all the pots was maintained at the same level by applying measured amount of water. Initially normal tap water was applied for 10 days in all the pots irrespective of treatments to avoid the salt injury while seedlings are recovering from the initial ‘shock' of transplantation. Thereafter, water application was commenced as per treatments both in pea and celery pots. The temperature in the glasshouse was maintained at 20° C during day and 15° C during night. Pea plants were harvested by end June, however the celery plant experiment is still continuing for another month.

Another experiment involving magnetically treated and non-magnetically treated normal tap water, effluent recycled water, salty water with 500 ppm NaCl and 1000 ppm NaCl on snow plants commenced in the third week of July and is well in progress. This experiment is expected to demonstrate in further depth the effects of magnetic treatment and different sources of water on water saving and water productivity of snow pea plants and results will be described in final report.

Seed Germination Experiment

This preliminary test gave some encouraging results as to the effects of magnetic treatment, viz., and early germination of snow pea and chickpea seeds and improved vigour of seedlings.

Grain yield

irrigation with magnetically treated recycled water and high salt water (3000 ppm NaCl) showed yield advantage of 8% and 4% respectively over non-magnetic treatment.

Straw yield

Irrigating pea plants with magnetically treated recycled water and high salt (3000 ppm NaCl) water resulted in a straw yield increase of 9% and 4% respectively over without magnetic treatment

Water productivity based on grain yield

Irrigating pea plants with magnetically treated water tended to improve water productivity based on grain yield (mg grain produced per ml of total water used in ET)

Water productivity based on total biomass

Like water productivity based on grain yield, irrigating pea plants with magnetically treated water also tended to improve water productivity based on total biomass production (mg biomass produced per ml of total water used in ET)

Transpiration

Irrigating pea plants with magnetically treated water significantly reduced the water used in transpiration of pea plants (Figure 6). There was 32%, 18% and 13% reduction in transpiration by irrigating pea plants with magnetic treatment of tap water, 1500 ppm salt water and 3000 ppm salt water respectively compared with non-magnetic treatment of water.

Grain production per unit of water used in transpiration

Grain production per unit of water used in transpiration was increased markedly by irrigating pea plants with magnetically treated tap water and salt water

Biomass production per unit of water used in transpiration

Like grain production, biomass production per unit of water used in transpiration was increased markedly by irrigating pea plants with magnetically treated tap water

Conclusions

Irrigating pea plants with magnetically treated water tended to reduce the total water use in ET and improve the water productivity based on grain yield and total biomass production compared with non-magnetic treated water irrigation.

Magnetic treatment of water significantly reduced water used in transpiration of pea plants, and these effects were more pronounced in tap water.

Grain and biomass production per unit of water used in transpiration was also increased in pea plants irrigated with magnetic treated tap water.

Celery plant experiment is still in progress and expected to be harvested by end August. Initial results of celery plants up to 1st of August 2007 indicate slight reduction in water used in ET and transpiration in magnetically treated water compared with non-magnetic treated water.

Another experiment involving experiments involving magnetically treated and non-magnetically treated normal tap water, effluent recycled water, salty water with 500 ppm NaCl and 1000 ppm NaCl on snow pea plants was transplanted in the third week of July and is expected to reflect real differences if any of magnetic treatment and different sources of water on water saving and water productivity of snow pea plants.

We are also testing the impact of magnetic treatment of seed and use of magnetic treated water on germination and initial growth of snow pea and chickpea seedlings. The detailed results will be given in final report.