Enhanced Water Retainer Concept

About

The Enhanced Water Retainer Concept will be built on the Water Retainer product. This product is an organic soil conditioner liquid that can be added to the soil surface to help plants to take-up water, reduce evaporation from bare soils and thus diminish the effects of drought and dehydration. The product is biodegradable and ready to use in agricultural fields, horticulture and home or professional gardening. 

The Water Retainer traps vapor on its way upwards through the soil capillaries and transforms it into tiny droplets of water, which can be drawn up by plant roots. Meanwhile, the product sprayed on the soil surface also traps air humidity. 

Physical application of the Water Retainer product, supported by other agrotechnical solutions is the idea behind the Enhanced Water Retainer Concept.

Case Study

Where We Test Our Solution

Enhanced Water Retainer Concept is tested at following case study sites:

  • Lower Silesia, Poland
  • Bologna, Italy
  • Auxerre, France
  • Gårdstånga Nygård, Sweden

Solution Test Progress

Based on laboratory experiments, Water Retainer can have a crucial role in enhancing seed germination in the early stage. This effect can be especially important on non-irrigated fields in unfavourable conditions when insufficient moisture is present in the upper layer of soil, and these conditions remain for a relatively long time after sowing because of the lack of rainfall.

The analyses conducted by project partners testing the product at the case study sites highlighted the potential of the Water Retainer product in contributing to yield production in terms of quality and quantity. A positive effect of Water Retainer on Soil Water Consumption was observed in Poland in top soil layers up to 20 cm depth in decades with low rainfall totals. Based on the tests, the Water Retainer has a good potential in terms of water savings, contributing to the farm and environmental and economic sustainability.

Publications

Assessment of Water Retention Methods. Project Deliverable.

January 2020 - Ongoing
January 2020 - Ongoing

University of Salford is conducting numerical modelling approach to characterize the Water Retainer effect on soil hydraulic parameters.

Ongoing
Ongoing

Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences and Universite de Neuchatel conducting modelling activities related to the effect of Water Retainer on physical properties of soil.

March - September 2021
March - September 2021

Field tests with Water Retainer.

March - September 2022
March - September 2022

Field tests with Water Retainer.

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