Reverse Osmosis System for Agronomics

High calcium concentrations in spraying/irrigation water can cause blockages in drip irrigation systems. High temperatures in the trickle tube cause calcium carbonate to precipitate, forming a white scale. Blockages are likely if the calcium carbonate saturation index is greater than 0.5. Calcium carbonate blockages can be reduced or prevented by:

• covering the pipes with soil or mulch to prevent heating;
• flushing the system with soft water for 5 to 10 minutes following each spray application;
• If scale forms in the drippers, use 3% inhibited sulphamic acid solution to remove the scale;
• Regularly injecting sodium hexametaphosphate salts.

All of these steps can help reduce carbonate and bicarbonate water, however these can usually take too much time and can be costly to keep up with maintenance. Removing the concentrations from the water is the simplest and most cost-effective method to avoid these potential issues.

Saline water is water that contains a significant concentration of dissolved salts (mainly NaCl) and is commonly known as salt water. The salt concentration is usually expressed in parts per thousand or parts per million (ppm). The United States Geological Survey classifies saline water in three salinity categories. Salt concentration in slightly saline water is around 1,000 to 3,000 ppm (0.1-0.3%), in moderately saline water 3,000 to 10,000 ppm (0.3-1%) and in highly saline water 10,000 to 35,000 ppm (1-3.5%). Seawater has a salinity of roughly 35,000 ppm, equivalent to 35 grams of salt per one litre (or kilogram) of water. There are three obvious salinity risks associated with irrigation:

1. The water may contain high levels of salt that may either directly affect plant growth or add salt to the soil so that plant growth is eventually affected by the increasing level of soil salinity.
2. Applying more irrigation water than is actually required to plants may raise a water table under the area. If the water table is saline, and shallow enough to be in the root zone, plant growth could be affected. Deeper saline water tables may also be a problem; if within 2 metres of the surface dissolved salt can be moved into the root-zone by capillary movement in profiles with high clay content.
3. Irrigated cropping changes the water balance in a number of ways, compared to perennial pasture. A key factor is cultivation and fallowing before sowing. During this period, evapo-transpiration is reduced and more water will infiltrate to the groundwater, with the potential to raise the level of a saline water table. In summary the main hazards are applying salts to the plants and the soil if the water is saline, and raising the height of a saline water table.

The most common salt in water is Sodium Chloride. While there are other types of salts, particularly in bore water, it is simple common salt that requires most attention.

Salt in the water has three effects on plants:

Direct ion toxicity
– Both sodium and chloride cause leaf burning, particularly in woody crops (e.g., tree fruits).

Nutrient interactions
– High levels of Sodium and Chloride in the soil can increase the availability and uptake of other ions in the soil, to the extent that they become toxic, for example Cadmium and Boron. High salt levels can also reduce the availability of some elements, for example Calcium, to the extent that they become deficient.

Osmotic effects
-High salt concentrations in the soil water make it more difficult for plant roots to extract water from the soil. This increases water stress to the extent that plants may wilt while sitting in water.

Water with salinity problems can inhibited the production of crops and can also inhibit the use of some chemicals.

1. Salinity is the concentration of all soluble salts in water. The amount of mineral salts dissolved in water is measured by its electrical conductivity (EC). The type of local rock and soil can influence the saltiness of water, but high EC is usually caused by runoff containing fertiliser salts getting into the water source.Salty water can cause blockages and corrode the metal parts of spray rigs. High salt levels, particularly chloride, can lead to burning of crop foliage. Sensitivity to salts varies between crops. It is important to know the concentration of chloride that will cause foliar damage to crops grown. The types of chemicals affected by Saline water e.g. Chlorsulfuron, Diuron, MCPA, Simazine and 2,4-D ester.

Clay, tannins and particulate matter in water resulting in muddiness can tie up many of the most important knockdown products such as Glyphosate and Gramoxone.

Muddy water can be problematic when it comes to agrinomics spraying. Blockages are the most likely scenario when spraying takes place, leading to either inadequate spraying applications, timely maintenance and/or uneven dispersion. When using chemicals like Roundup in muddy water, they can be absorbed into the particulate matter in the water, ‘locking’ them up.

Alkaline water, when used in agrinomics spray solutions, can reduce or destroy the effectiveness of some pesticides. Pesticide labels should contain information on the critical pH levels at which the chemical breaks down. Water with a pH of over 7.5 is alkaline enough to affect the active ingredient in some pesticides. LI 700 can be used to reduce the pH level of the water to help chemicals be more effective.

In summary, these categories of water can adversely affect agrinomics spraying applications in a multitude of ways; whether it be through introducing more chemicals to make the water usable or constantly maintaining equipment to maximise effectiveness, removing these particulates and solutes is the best preventative method to maximise weed control and therefore yield.

Having a Crystal Water Reverse Osmosis tailored to your specific needs will remove 100% of particulates and 95-98% of contaminants, giving premium quality water. With these two issues resolved, there is now an abundant amount or premium water at your disposal to be used in a wide range of agrinomics applications.