OZONE IN AGRICULTURE

The irrigation with ozonized water systems consists on providing a greater amount of oxygen to the root arriving free of virus, bacteria, fungi, seaweed, spores and any other microorganism, reason why it is obtained a faster growth than the habitual one, with more aliveness and force as well as more productivity. This system is very beneficial for the irrigation, such as fruit trees, vineyards, and cultures in general obtaining the prevention of diseases in the plants.

By means of this system it is obtained:

• Less diseases

Most of the diseases of the plants take place by the infection. Ozone destroys all the microorganisms as much by direct action in the water as by the amount of oxygen that gives off. The ozonized irrigation protects of contagion; it even destroys bacteria, virus and parasitic cysts difficult to fight by other procedures that in addition, they always imply the use of chemical agents sometimes injurious for the human consumption and for Environment. Ozone is a product from the own Nature, does not contaminate. As much the plants, as the harvested product, counted on better conditions of conservation. (There is a system of ozonization of air dissected specially for the transport in refrigerator chambers that contributes these and other advantages as much for the own vehicle as to the merchandise).

The product irrigated with ozonized water systems (and stored and/or transported in ozonized atmospheres), conserves all its characteristics during much more time, in perfect conditions of microbiological immunity.

• More Benefit

A more voluminous harvest and more productive culture obained in smaller amount of days already imply a saving in amount of irrigation water but, on the other hand, the saving in expenses of fertilizer and other additives is also very important. It is necessary to consider that, for example, the use of fertizers is reduced until a 50%: for each two followed irrigations, one has to be made only with ozonized water, without fertilizer or other additives. This condition is essential to obtain the expectations announced within the pre-established guarantees.

• More growth

The effect of the ozonized water consists basically on much greater oxygen contribution to the root. The ozonized water that arrives at the irrigation is completely free of virus, bacteria, fungi, seaweed, spores and any other microorganism. (Ozone is the most powerful disinfectant of all ones known. It is used in more than two thousand five hundred cities of all the world - Paris . Moscow , Chicago .... etc, to purify its water). The absence of germs confers to the water the best conditions possible to obtain faster growth than the habitual one. The plant will grow with more aliveness, with more vitality and force as it will be able to verify after a small space of time (between 30 and 40 days from the beginning of the treatment).

• More volumen

Not only will it improve the aspect of the plant (leaves, stems, roots...), but also its fruits. These will complete the cycle of maturation in smaller space of time than the habitual one and, in general, they will present a similar size (compact, strong and with more volume).

• More production

All we have said previously will result in the collection of greater amount of Kilos of product with the same effort. The yield of the production will increase in a remarkable way.

• Better flavour

Another very remarkable consequence is the one that results in the quality of the flavour of the products that will contain, by effect of the ozonized irrigation, a greater amount of sugars.

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THE APPLICATION OF OZONE IN AGRICULTURE

Previous considerations:

Ozone is an allotropic variety of Oxygen, very known by its presence in the stratosphere, where is formed by the action of ultra-violet rays of the sun, whose absorb in great measurement, avoiding in this way its detrimental action on the alive beings. Ozone has an oxidizing power greater than the Oxygen one, so for that reason it improves the respiratory process at cellular level. The direct germicida action of Ozone is also well-known against all type of microorganisms, as much fungi as bacteria and virus.

Ozone fights against to bacteria families such as: Pseudomonas, Flavobacterium, Streptococcus, Legionella, etc. and against the fungi, many of which belong to the germs Candida Aspergillus (A. Niger, A. Fumigatus).

In the particular case of the fungi and bacteria which are the main cause of degradation of vegetal weaves, Ozone is also effective against the spores of those microorganisms which are able to propagate and reproduce by this route. It is known that the spores mentioned are very resistant when the conditions are adverse to them and can remain long time in latency, being transferred from place to another one through the air or other ways, until they again find conditions of propitious temperature and humidity, so they can take place to a new infection. It is for that reason that these types of infections are extremely difficult to eradicate by other agents and, in such cases, Ozone offers a very effective protection.

Firstly, it is a powerful germicide agent, which is able to eliminate parasitic bacteria, virus, fungi and cysts, without causing the formation of toxic compounds or leaving remainders, since it is separate spontaneously in Oxygen (an advantage against other disinfectants commonly used for these aims).

Ozonization in the irrigation by dripping:

Considering the scientific knowledge of the effects of Ozone related to its power and effectiveness in the decontamination and treatments of the water, in 1993 began a research of a system to incorporate this element to the water for irrigation.

The developed experience consists on the installation of an Ozone generator that injects this element (in the proportion calculated previously) to the water through the own pipe of the water. For it, it has been necessary to make a modification in the pipe system and an installation of a deposit (in this case it is able to contain 18.000 liters of water).

Ozone oxygenates the water coming from an irrigation raft, and it releases it of microorganisms. After a decanting (the one that happens in the mentioned deposit), it is injected through the pipes until the located irrigation (by dripping).

The Oxygen contribution takes place through the root which turns into more force and gives to the plant greater capacity of feeding, greater anchorage to the land and total protection against possible contagions.

The final result is a healthy plant with optimal results. It is detected more productive plants with the simple observation after a period of thirty days from the beginning of the system, better conditions of growth and eradication of the previous or present bacteriological problems.

On the other hand, the use of the system (Ozone added to the irrigation water) results in the economization of fertilizers, insecticides and other chemical agents or organic ones, because of it is not necessary to use for irrigation these type of additives more than in alternating sessions of irrigations. The experience has ratified that the use of fertilizers can be reduced in a 50%.

Conclusions:

Ozone displays as main properties: Fungicide action; bactericidal action and disinfectant action (the most effective method with the water as it guarantees the experience of water purification in more than two thousand five hundred cities worldwide among them Paris , Moscow , Chicago , etc.)

The agricultural operations or the floricultural ones which are equipped with systems of ozonization in irrigation, obtain the optimization of the standardized results in a short space of time (from 30-40 days):

• More amount of product. Greater weight and volume.
• Fruits nicer in glucose (more sugars)
• Product homogenous and free of external defects. Better aspect.
• More vigorous and healthy plants. Free of contagions problems.
• Better uprooted product conservation.
• Greater production in smaller space of time. Water saving.
• Saving in additives (fertilizers, insecticides, etc.)

The mixture of Ozone and Oxygen is based on the amount of cubic meters and the flow/hour that needs to be used for the irrigation.

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THE RESIDUAL WATER USE IN LOCATED IRRIGATIONS AND HYDROPONICS CULTURES

Due to the shortage of hydro resources caused by the droughts and excessive consumptions and wastefulness as well as the great volume of residual water generated, it is necessary to reuse this one (previously purified) for other processes like the located irrigation and hydroponics cultures.

The residual water must have good conditions apt for the irrigation, it means, acceptable concentrations of mineral salts besides the fact to consider the possible presence of microorganisms, heavy metals, organic compounds, detergent, nutrients and in general a great number of substances that are not usually present in a normal water.

The use of chlorine to treat residual water previously to the irrigated land is a good way to catch up the problematic parameters with suitable levels. However, in the last years the tendency is towards new treatments like the ultraviolet radiation and mainly, the treatment with ozone that avoids problems derived from chlorine in the culture, besides the fact it improves in a very effective way the problems that this one can cause.