Irrigation plays a pivotal role in Australian primary industries but current irrigation methods such as furrow and flood are not very efficient.

They suffer from huge loss of water and environmental concerns associated with runoff and contamination to other water bodies. 

However, oxygation, the latest irrigation method developed by CQU's Centre for Plant and Water Science (CPWS), uses aerated water for subsurface drip irrigation.

This improves the irrigation efficiency and crop yield compared to conventional methods of irrigation.

A recent experiment on a watermelon crop at Point Farm (Biloela) uses larger air injectors (3-4") and feed to a research plot of 6.3 acres with aerated water, and compares it with a non-aerated control plot.

Point Farm owner Ian Kennedy, who is cooperating in this experiment with CQU, is a popular and an experienced agronomist as well as a melon grower.

Point Farm owner Ian Kennedy and daughter Hayley Kennedy monitoring the soil moisture in the melon plot (photo with the permission of Ian Kennedy).
Point Farm owner Ian Kennedy and daughter Hayley Kennedy by the newly set mobile weather station next to the melon experimental plot (photo with the permission of Ian Kennedy).

This experimental site is well equipped with a mobile weather station, and devices for water and soil monitoring.

Mr Kennedy and other growers in this area are very aware about the issues of irrigation water, its quality and its declining allocation to industry.

The farmer has therefore been working in collaboration with CQU Professor David Midmore and Post Doctoral Research Fellow Dr Surya P. Bhattarai on the application of oxygation research to the horticultural industries, to improve water-use efficiency for horticultural crop production.

Many growers such as the Point Farm family are now very aware about the issue and scrutiny on the irrigation industry.

Improving the water-use efficiency of crop production is of paramount importance for a sustainable horticultural industry.

Use of efficient techniques such oxygtion, supported with accurate weather, soil, water and crop monitoring, can bring a breakthrough in improving water-use efficiency.

More participatory action research, involving more and more growers and boosting the awareness of future generations, can create a paradigm shift in these issues of water crisis.

 The involvement of young people, like farmer's daughter Hayley Kennedy, is an example of ways to bring significant change.

"A  7-grader in the Redeemer Lutheran Primary School in Biloela considers that she would like to share with all her classmates and school friends about the monitoring of soil moisture in crop production and how it can make a difference on effective use of water for crop production and saving our environment from ill effect of irrigation," Dr  Bhattarai said.

"She has been recording the soil moisture changes in the watermelon plot using micro-goopher sensors, and helps Ian to make decisions on irrigation. She finds soil moisture monitoring to decide crop irrigation very important. She wanted to take a message to her school community and wanted to talk about how to be Drop Wise in water use."

Oxygation is at the state of action research. It has got a long way to go before it becomes a common irrigation practice by growers.

More participatory research, and involving a wider generation like Hayley, will definitely speed up the adoption and wider dissemination of this technology.

For more information, please contact Dr Bhattarai, 4923 2140, or Mr Kenney 0427 923 830.