The Council of Water, Agriculture and Environment of Murcia is carrying out a test on the use of ionized water in iceberg lettuce cultivation with the goal of achieving greater water savings in irrigation, as well as reducing the damage caused by fungi and bacteria, such as botrytis and sclerotinia.
Ozone is a gas that acts as a natural disinfectant, capable of destroying viruses, bacteria and fungi. It does not accumulate or leave residues. Once it has performed its function, it becomes oxygen.
For this reason, the use of ionized water results in stronger plants with more vivid colours, due to the oxidation of ozone, juicy and homogeneous fruits of larger size, a greater production per plant, a greater harvest volume in less time, as well as a reduction of the production time.
The General Director of Agro-Food Innovation, Juana Mulero, stressed that the choice of iceberg lettuce for this test is justified by the fact that "it is the product yielding the highest figures to Murcia's horticultural exporters."
In 2015, for instance, 501,985 tonnes were exported worth 423 million Euro. He added that "the Region of Murcia supplies about 70 percent of the lettuce exported by Spain."
For growers in the area, it is very important to introduce new farming techniques that can help save resources, such as water and inputs, in order to obtain a greater profitability and ensure the protection of the environment.
Source: News agencies