The Agrarian Demonstration Center ‘El Mirador’, in San Javier, has been developing an experience on the use of water-retaining polymers and soil sensors to reduce the average use of 30% of water and 25% of fertilizers in crops, and influence the reduction of soil compaction, improving its aeration.
The Minister of Water, Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Environment, Antonio Luengo, visited this center today and attended the harvest of the celery crop that has undergone the experience, and highlighted that “with the use of polymers In the cultivation of celery, it has been proven that it improves soil fertility, since by retaining water it also prevents the leaching of fertilizers. Specifically, the water saving is 21 percent and it is grown with 45 percent less of nitrates, potassium, phosphorus and calcium “.
Luengo stressed that “in the case of nitrogen, the recommendations of the Murcia Agricultural Information System (SIAM) are 200 tons, and in this crop that is harvested today only 100 have been used, while the recommendations for these dates, in This plantation frame and this cycle are 3,400 cubic meters of water, and with the use of sensors only 1,700 were used, and with the polymer 1,300 cubic meters. And all this, not only has not affected production, but even he has improved it. “
The counselor highlighted that “this and other experiences are essential for the work of modernization of agriculture and vital to obtain the optimal use of each drop of water, which results, not only in the projection of an increasingly sustainable agriculture , but also in the recovery of the Mar Menor and in the fight against climate change “.
The experience is in line with the requirements of the Mar Menor Recovery and Protection Law, which requires the installation of humidity sensors, tensiometers or any other device for efficient water management in the entire soil profile affected by irrigation; as well as having devices to measure the volume of irrigation water applied by sector and monitoring by sensors of the content and / or matrix potential of the water in the soil and monitoring of mineral fertilization carried out through irrigation and measurement of nitrogen and the match.
The Agrarian Demonstration Center ‘El Mirador’, dependent on the Ministry of Water, Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Environment, carries out research projects through the Gregal, Hortamira and San Cayetano cooperatives, according to sources from the regional government .
The Autonomous Community has 12 centers in which educational and training activities as well as technology transfer projects are carried out, which include demonstration and knowledge transfer activities. Research and innovation projects are also carried out in collaboration with the research organizations of the Region of Murcia.
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