According to AEMET (Spanish Meteorological Agency), this is the second driest January of the 21st century and the fifth driest since 1961, with the Guadalquivir basin being one of the most affected by the lack of rainfall. Agriculture uses around 70% of water resources and will therefore be the main sector affected by a decrease in water availability, leading the relevant authorities to limit the use of water for agriculture. Therefore, it is imminent to look for alternatives to avoid such a reduction in crop yields due to lack of water and to improve the optimisation of existing resources.
After analysing this problem, TRICHODEX has designed a solution capable of retaining water and avoiding losses through runoff, ensuring optimum water status for the plant.
CHAUME is a blend of non-ionic surfactants that promote the filtration, retention and lateral movement of water in the soil. CHAUME is an optimal solution that reduces the frequency of irrigation and achieves the best use and availability of nutrients. It does not contain phosphates or perchloric acid. In addition, the incorporation of Ascophyllum nodosum algae extract in its formulation stimulates the crop, improving its physiological conditions to be able to cope with stressful moments. Improved aeration capacity, through the application of CHAUME, prevents anaerobic conditions (lack of oxygen) in the rhizosphere, favouring the plant's natural microbiome.
Photo 1. Strawberry plants with extreme water stress
In trials carried out to evaluate the effect of the application of CHAUME in extreme drought, 37 days without irrigation, a survival rate of 22% was achieved in strawberry plants, with statistical differences with the control without irrigation and the reference used.
+22% Live plants
Figure 1. Percentage of dead plants after 37 days without irrigation
ANOVA Duncan p<0.05
Sources:
FAOSTAT
www.cadenaser.com/2022/02/10/grave-situacion-por-la-sequia-en-espana-y-aemet-avisa-de-que-no-vienen-buenas-noticias
www.fundacionaquae.org/impacto-de-la-sequia-en-la-agricultura
www.fao.org/faostat/en/
