Fewer watering sessions and better results
A Sicilian grower’s irrigation water contained only 6 ppm of oxygen, which dropped as low as 3 ppm at the drippers. The result, especially during the hot summers in southern Italy, was crop losses reaching up to 20%. For grower Andrea Ferrera, this was reason enough to invest in a nanobubble system.
Ferrera Flowers, his company, cultivates various ornamental crops in polytunnels over an area of more than 12 hectares, including Dahlia, Estatis, and Gypsophila. The crops of this third-generation grower are partly grown on soil and partly in pots, on substrate. His father, Giovanni, runs a nearby company, Coral Verde, which cultivates fruit vegetables like tomatoes and zucchini.
During Andrea’s video interview, he briefly appears to greet Nadir Laaguili from Agrona and interpreter Carla Sentel. Agrona supplied the Sicilian grower with the nanobubble system, which was installed in February and could start being used for the first time this summer.
The Sicilian grower uses groundwater. “There’s still plenty of it in the ground here. That’s not always the case in other regions, where they need to use tap water.”
The use of nanobubble technology is still relatively new in the region. However, many growers are aware of its potential. “Andrea learned about the technology from his father,” says Carla. She has been helping companies from the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany to enter the Italian market for over forty years.
Drastic reduction in amount of discards
Andrea was dealing with significant problems, especially in the summer. Measurements revealed that his irrigation water was lacking oxygen. “On hot days, I had to water every thirty minutes to keep the crop healthy. After installing the nanobubble system, I can allow more time between waterings. This summer, watering every hour and a half was sufficient. The amount of water I now provide per watering is also greater than the many small amounts I previously needed.”
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