 |
|
Saltwater solution to save crops
September 12, 2008Plant-powered desalination utilizes saline groundwater
Technology under development at the University of New South Wales could offer new hope to farmers in drought-affected and marginal areas by enabling crops to grow using salty groundwater.
Associate Professor Greg Leslie, a chemical engineer at UNSW's UNESCO Centre for Membrane Science and Technology, is working with the University of Sydney on technology which uses reverse-osmosis membranes to turn previously useless, brackish groundwater into a valuable agricultural resource.
"We are looking at ways to grow plants on very salty water without damaging soil," Professor Leslie said.
"We're incorporating a reverse osmosis membrane into a sub-surface drip irrigation system."
The irrigation system relies on the roots of the plant drawing salty groundwater through the membrane - in doing so removing the salt which would otherwise degrade the soil and make continued cropping unsustainable.
Desalination such as this requires a pressure gradient to draw clean water through the membrane. Professor Leslie has demonstrated that, by running irrigation lines under the ground beneath the plants, the root systems of the plants provide enough of a pressure gradient to draw up water without the high energy consumption usually required for desalination.
"We're going to provide agriculture with a tool to grow crops in drought years when there is limited access to run-off and surface water," he said.
The membrane technology, developed by Professor Leslie and the University of Sydney's Professor Bruce Sutton, has been patented by UNSW's commercial arm, NewSouth Innovations.
University of New South Wales
"We are looking at ways to grow plants on very salty water without damaging soil," Professor Leslie said.
"We're incorporating a reverse osmosis membrane into a sub-surface drip irrigation system."
The irrigation system relies on the roots of the plant drawing salty groundwater through the membrane - in doing so removing the salt which would otherwise degrade the soil and make continued cropping unsustainable.
Desalination such as this requires a pressure gradient to draw clean water through the membrane. Professor Leslie has demonstrated that, by running irrigation lines under the ground beneath the plants, the root systems of the plants provide enough of a pressure gradient to draw up water without the high energy consumption usually required for desalination.
"We're going to provide agriculture with a tool to grow crops in drought years when there is limited access to run-off and surface water," he said.
The membrane technology, developed by Professor Leslie and the University of Sydney's Professor Bruce Sutton, has been patented by UNSW's commercial arm, NewSouth Innovations.
University of New South Wales
Irrigation Current Events and Irrigation News RSSNutrients in water may be a bonus for agriculture
Agriculture producers may find they don't have to bottle their water from the Seymour Aquifer in the Rolling Plains to make it more valuable, according to Texas AgriLife Research scientists.
'Arid aquaculture' among livelihoods promoted to relieve worsening pressure on world's drylands
"Arid aquaculture" using ponds filled with salty, undrinkable water for fish production is one of several options experts have proven to be an effective potential alternative livelihood for people living in desertified parts of the world's expanding drylands.
New hybrid plants could prompt more prodigious pepper production in Southwest
By themselves or as an ingredient in a variety of foods, including salsa, America's top-selling condiment, peppers have found a warm spot in the hearts and stomachs of U.S. consumers.
Researchers Turning Freshwater Farm Ponds into Crab Farms
Work by researchers at North Carolina State University is leading to a new kind of crab harvest - blue crabs grown and harvested from freshwater ponds, instead of from the sea.
Pickleweed Tolerates Irrigation with Seawater and High Levels of Boron
Reuse of agricultural drainage water (DW) for irrigation is one of the few on-farm water management options available to growers on the west side of California's San Joaquin Valley (SJV) for reducing drainage water volumes (San Joaquin Valley Drainage Implementation Program, 2000).
Green coffee-growing practices buffer climate-change impacts
Chalk up another environmental benefit for shade-grown Latin American coffee: University of Michigan researchers say the technique will provide a buffer against the ravages of climate change in the coming decades.
Commercial aquatic plants offer cost-effective method for treating wastewater
Nursery and greenhouse operations depend on the use of fertilizers, growth regulators, insecticides, and fungicides. Growers also rely on the use of soilless media, or substrate, in the production of container crops.
Experiment Demonstrates 110 Years of Sustainable Agriculture
A plot of land on the campus of Auburn University shows that 110 years of sustainable farming practices can produce similar cotton crops to those using other methods.
Myanmar after Cyclone Nargis
Improved agricultural productivity can help developing countries reduce their reliance on international emergency food relief following natural disasters. This is one of the conclusions of a team of International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) scientists who visited cyclone-devastated Myanmar in August.
Revising and Re-sizing History: New Work Shows Ohio Site to Be Ancient Water Works, Not a Fort
he site known as Miami Fort is no fort at all, and it is also much larger than previously believed - so large, in fact, that its berms stretch to almost six kilometers in length, making it twice as large as any other Native American earthworks in Ohio, and one of the largest in the nation.
More Irrigation Current Events and Irrigation News Articles
 | The Complete Irrigation Workbook: Design, Installation, Maintenance & Water Management by Larry Keesen; Cindy Code This workbook offers a comprehensive look at irrigation design, installation, maintenance and water management including practical hands-on techniques. Each chapter contains questions and answers which can be used to test your own knowledge or as in-house training tool for new and seasoned employees. Appendix includes detailed drawings of irrigation installations and tables and conversion... |
 | Simplified Irrigation Design, 2nd Edition (Landscape Architecture) by Pete Melby The Second Edition of this best-selling academic guide to irrigation design has been completely rewritten so you can understand it easily. Created for the irrigation designer and installer, as well as students, Simplified Irrigation Design clearly explains irrigation design and related hydraulics, without the need for interpretation by teachers. Each chapter builds on the other, presenting all... |
| Turf Irrigation Manual: The Complete Guide to Turf and Landscape Irrigation Systems by Richard B. Choate, James A. Watkins | |
 | Gardening Without Irrigation or without much, anyway by Steve Soloman |
 | Irrigation Systems: Design, Planning and Construction (Cabi Publications) by A Laycock Of all the confrontations man has engineered with nature, irrigation systems have had the most widespread and far-reaching impact on the natural environment. Over a quarter of a billion hectares of the planet are irrigated and entire countries depend on irrigation for their survival and existence. Considering the importance of irrigation schemes, it is unfortunate that until recently the... |
| Pathway To Profits for Irrigation Contractors For Landscape Irrigation... | |
 | Landscape Irrigation: Design and Management by Stephen W. Smith A total, all-in-one guide to modern landscape irrigation strategies, techniques, and hardware Landscape Irrigation is designed to function as both a professional reference and a junior- to senior-level text for students of landscape architecture, landscape design, and turf management. It is also an excellent study guide for young professionals preparing to take the LARE. Emphasizing... |
 | Irrigation of Agricultural Crops, Second Edition (Agronomy) (Agronomy) (Agronomy) by B. A. Stewart Irrigation is one of the most important human activities sustaining civilization. On average, irrigated crop yields are double those from unirrigated land. It has been estimated that to meet the needs of the 8 billion population by 2025, the irrigated area must expand more than 20% and irrigated crop yields must improve by 40% above current yields. The issues and the newest technologies are... |
 | Principles of Colonic Irrigation: The Only Introduction You'll Ever Need (Principles of ...) by Jillie Collings Many people are finding the treatment of colonic irrigation to be highly effective in ridding the body of toxins, thought to affect both mental and physical... |
 | A Guide to Golf Course Irrigation System Design and Drainage by Edward Pira A Guide to Golf Course Irrigation System Design and Drainage details every phase of an irrigation program - from the system design to construction, from scheduling to operation, and much more. It also covers the fundamentals of drainage design and installation. Turfgrass managers and golf course superintendents will refer to this handy book often to plan and implement effective irrigation... |
| © 2008 BrightSurf.com |