Ressource-saving technologies in regions with difficult climatic conditions

Sergey Kazhgaliev from the Polevoe farm in Volgograd province grows the following crops: Summer wheat, sunflowers, false flax, maize and millet. The cultivated area is 9,700 ha.

In this region, dry periods in spring during the growth phase are not uncommon, and as a rule most rainfall occurs in late summer and during the autumn harvest. Low soil moisture is the main problem in plant cultivation in the region.

Advantages of AquaKat-treated water

• Fertilizer and spraying agents are dissolved better
• Stabilizes the spray solution
• Water adheres better to the leaves
• The applied solution penetrates better into the tissue of the leaves (chelating effect)

Water quality and AquaKat

The effectiveness of the herbicide glyphosate decreases in dry climates. This often leads farmers to apply up to three times the recommended dose. 

The problem, however, is not the quality of the herbicide or the resistance of the plants to it, but the water itself! So the better the water spray, the more effective the pesticide treatment will be!

The AquaKat technology changes the water quality. Through AquaKat, the water molecules form small structures (hexahedra) that enclose the herbicide. 

The structured water transports the glyphosate into the system of the plant, which increases its effect. By improving water quality, the AquaKat helps reduce production costs:  

• Reduction of pesticide/herbicide applications by up to 50%.
• Reduction of water consumption in field sprayer applications by up to 50%.

To test the effect of AquaKat, Sergey installed two AquaKat XL on his field sprayers. He gradually reduced the amount of glyphosate: first by 15-20%, later by 30%. Field investigations showed that AquaKat-structured water improved the effect of glyphosate even with reduced quantities.

After these good results, the application rate of the herbicide was reduced to 50%. The results achieved with this reduction were also impressive. Kazhgaliev saved approximately 2.5 million rubles (approx. EUR 40,000) in one season by using AquaKat!

By increasing the dry matter of the plants, Sergey Kazhgaliev could also increase his yields by 30-40% compared to his neighbours. Today he yields 50-100% more than other farms in the region.