The physical water treatment Aqua-4D® is presently the only non chemical water treatment technology, scientifically proved, which reduces the number of nematodes to the point of eliminating damages to the hosting plant.
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Nematodes in agriculture
Root Knot nematodes are a major problem for most crops and plantations in the world. In fact, nematodes in the soil attack the roots of plants of different crops, causing a strong decrease in production return and even a destruction of part of the crop. Up to now, the main method used to fight these pests was the heavy usage of chemical nematicides. Today, because of their high toxicity, chemical nematicides are slowly being phased out in most countries for sanitary and ecological reasons.
Trial report: Influence of Aqua-4D® treatment on the attack of nematodes on crops of parsley and tomatoes
Year: 2004
Dr. Gotthard Stielow
Agriculture consultant, Hamburg, Germany
Description of the trial
The trial was conducted on two field located one beside the other (same conditions). Field 1 is the reference field, field 2 is treated with the Aqua-4D® physical water treatment. The device was installed after a solenoid valve to avoid treatment effects upstream of the installation in other fields.
Soil, sand originally, was enriched by a CMC compost for years to about 5% of humus with a C / N ratio of 10 / 1. The volume of crops has been for years above the average standard of biodynamic farms. In early testing, the soil was attacked by nematodes throughout the area concerned.
Field 1: untreated
Filed 2: treated with Aqua-4D® physical water treatment
Results with parsley
- Parsleys in field 1 (untreated) with root-knot nematodes
The crops of field 2 (treated) were slightly higher (between 5 and 10%) than field 1 (untreated).
An examination of the roots showed a surprising result: ten plants were removed from field 1 were attacked by nematodes (sometimes strongly), while ten plants in field 2 were not.
- Parsleys in field 2 (treated) without root-knot nematode
Results on tomatoes
- Tomatoes in field 1 (untreated) with root-knot nematodes
Harvesting of tomatoes was not possible for economic reasons.
Towards the end of culture, tomatoes showed slightly better growth in the field 2.
An examination of the roots showed again a surprising result: ten plants removed from a field 1 were all attacked by nematodes, while the ten plants in field 2 were not.
- Tomatoes in field 2 (treated) without root-knot nematode
Conclusion
The results of the analyzed cultures make it possible to conclude that the treatment of water irrigation with the Aqua-4D® system supports in the final phase the growth of the plants, removed the nematodes, and brought harvests slightly higher.
Study performed by the official research institute Agroscope Changins-Wädenswil
ACW has conducted a preliminary study on the potential of the AQUA-4D system to control rootknot nematodes in the project: No CTI 11715.1 INNO-LS “Influence d’un traitement électromagnétique pour supprimer les nématodes / "Influence of electromagnetic treatment to remove the nematodes”.
A prototype greenhouse experimental set up was developed by ACW to evaluate the potential of the AQUA-4D system for root-knot nematode control. Under controlled greenhouse conditions we found a clear reduction in root galling (damage) and significantly reduced numbers of egg masses (= females producing new nematode eggs) on tomato roots. The test nematode species was the highly pathogenic and virulent tropical species Meloidogyne enterolobii inoculated onto host plant (cv. Oskar) carrying a tropical root-knot nematode resistance gene. A range of parameters measuring plant growth / vigour and stress in relation to nematode penetration and reproduction revealed a measurable response of the host plant to treatment of the irrigation water with the AQUA-4D system.
This was the first scientific prove that electromagnetic water treatment can have an effect on root-knot nematodes, reducing damage on the host plant.
However, several questions remain on how this effect was achieved. A further important result was that only numbers of rootknot nematodes in soil were reduced by the AQUA-4D system, but the free living saprophagous nematodes (bacterial and fungal feeders) were not affected. This is an important pre-requisite of an environmentally benign nematode control system.
Agroscope Changins-Wädenswil
Research Station ACW
National Competence Center for Nematology
Switzerland
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