Almost 16 million California residents are living in drought conditions. The severity of the drought is measured on a scale that starts at Abnormally Dry and ranges up to Extreme Drought. In Abnormally Dry areas, pasture or crops aren’t fully recovered. In Extreme Drought conditions we’re looking at major crop and pasture losses and widespread water shortages and restrictions.
I mentioned in my last newsletter that Andaman Ag sells AquaVantage, a bio-degradable, starch-based polymer that’s used as a soil amendment, capable of absorbing up to 500 times its weight in water to store and gradually release it to crops. The result: crops require 50% less water, given the water holding capacity! We believe it’s a breakthrough product that can have a major role in mitigating drought conditions.
AquaVantage’s initial size is similar to the raw sugar that you’d find at a coffee shop or restaurant and expands to the size of the pictures above! The core of the AquaVantage technology was developed by leading researchers at the U.S. Department of Agriculture and has been well-proven through hundreds of scientific trials in worldwide agricultural production and university studies. AquaVantage biodegrades harmlessly in the soil and can be re-applied every time a new crop is planted, berms are restored, compost or gypsum is applied, etc.
Water Holding Capacity
AquaVantage increases moisture efficiency and availability across all soil types. This reduces plant stress, creating higher quality and yields. The percentage of retained moisture in the following soil profiles was:
- Sand: Untreated 43.3% Treated: 80%
- Silt Loam: Untreated 63.3% Treated 86.7%
- Clay Loam: Untreated 53.1% Treated 73.3%
Source: Logan Labs, LLC.
This new technology builds on basic cornstarch to create a “hydrogel” that holds and releases water – over and over again – for use by crops on an as-needed basis. As we all know, water is essential for nutrient transfer. AquaVantage helps improve nutrient efficiency and may also reduce the level of nutrients that need to be applied. It traps available moisture that would otherwise evaporate or leach down through the soil, creating a near-surface reservoir that readily delivers moisture to the plant root system. We see AquaVantage as a transition technology for growers following our protocols to build Soil Organic Matter (SOM). Increasing SOM by 1% allows soils to store more than 20,000 extra gallons of water per acre and hold and transfer nutrients in the root zone for longer periods of time. However, this process takes time and AquaVantage can be a bridge in the meantime.
Please know that I’m having shoulder surgery at the end of the week and won’t be generating our newsletter for a couple of months. Thank you for your readership and I look forward to bringing you noteworthy agricultural topics in the new year! Health and Happiness to all of you and your families!
