Project description
Innovative water treatment to restore saline soils and allow irrigation with saline water
Water scarcity and land degradation are the most pressing problems facing agriculture. They are also making feeding the world’s rising population (projected by the United Nations to reach 9 billion by 2050) a daunting challenge. The EU-funded AQUA4D project will develop a water-smart solution that ensures efficient water-soil-plant interaction and resources management. Specifically, the researchers have developed an innovative water treatment for large crop irrigation (cereals, oilseeds and pulses). This simple, cost-effective and environmentally friendly system is expected to assist large crop farmers to reduce their soil salinisation and degradation, save water (up to 25 %) and fertiliser (up to 30 %). Farmers can also expect to achieve a 20 % increase in crop yield due to the salts management.
Objective
Population growth, climate change and limitations of natural resources mean that agriculture must become more productive, efficient and environmentally sound. Within this need for improved agricultural production, irrigation plays a crucial role. However, there is a clear need for AgTEch solutions applied to irrigation systems in order to achieve sustainable agricultural practices, specially for large crops (cereals, oilseeds and pulses) which dominates the crops market.
AQUA4D-HR is an innovative electromagnetic water treatment that allows an accurate modification of the irrigation water structure to optimize the irrigation process and achieve key benefits for water use, crops yield and soil quality. AQUA4D-HR is designed as a simple, cost-effective and environmentally friendly system suitable for large crops irrigation (cereals, oilseeds and pulses) in pivot irrigation systems (high water flow rates).
AQUA4D-HR will achieve key benefits for large crops farmers: up to 25% water savings, up to 30% in fertilizer savings; up to 20% increased crop production and reduction of soil salinity and mineral crystallization in the rhizosfere, thus allowing a sustainable cultivation. Moreover, AQUA4D-HR will be affordable for end-users, with ROI < 3 years
Fields of science
- engineering and technologycivil engineeringwater engineeringirrigation
- agricultural sciencesagriculture, forestry, and fisheriesagriculturegrains and oilseedsoilseeds
- natural sciencesearth and related environmental sciencesatmospheric sciencesclimatologyclimatic changes
- agricultural sciencesagriculture, forestry, and fisheriesagriculturegrains and oilseedscereals
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
SME-2 - SME instrument phase 2Coordinator
3960 SIERRE
Switzerland
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.