RESPONSE OF SOIL AND PLANTS TO IRRIGATION WITH C02-ENRICHED WATER (Overview)

The International Society for Horticultural Science

By: Professor A.Ibrahim, Soils Department

At the College of Agriculture, Ain Shams University

Study Synopsis

This investigates the ability of CO₂ enriched water to lower the pH in soil. As this study mentions it is already proven that CO₂ lowers the pH in water consistently an accurately. This study not only found that CO₂ lowers the pH in soil (“Data revealed a significant effect of C02 in lowering soil pH “) but it is the most cost effective way of doing so.

Positive Findings from the Study

• “From the above mentioned results it could be concluded that the irrigation of plastic tunnel cucumber with 150 ppm C0₂-enriched water may be considered as one of the most effective method to control the pH values in both irrigation water and temporary in the soil and correspondingly made the soil nutrients more easily available for uptake by plants in addition to its positive effect on water use efficiency. “

• “Data revealed that the irrigation with 150 ppm C0₂-enriched water could be recommended as the most effective method for temporary controlling soil pH” Note: The word “temporary” simple means that once CO₂ in no longer injected into your irrigation water over time your soil pH will rise back to its original level.

• “Data in table (2) indicate that C0₂ treatments decreased the pH values of the studied soil from 8.10 to 6.56 after 5 min from stopping the inject ion 200 ppm C02”

• “The injection of C0₂ at concentrations higher than 50 ppm significantly increased P (phosphorus), Ca (calcium), and Fe (iron) in the plants.” Note: This means that less fertilizer can be used.

• “On the other hand, K (potassium), Mg (magnesium), Zn (zinc) and Cu (copper) markedly increased with increasing C0₂ level over than 100 ppm in irrigation water.” Note: This means that less fertilizer can be used.

• “These temporary effect of irrigation with C0₂-enriched water on lowering soil pH values and consequently on the activity of beneficial soil microorganisms that decompose organic manure and thus release nitrogen and other nutrients for plant use” Note: This means that your thatch layer is being reduced, allowing for greater percolation and less need for mechanical aeration.

Negative Findings from the Study

• There are no negative findings in this study.

Thoughts and Comments

This study once again proves what has been known for over thirty years, that the use CO₂ will lower pH in both water and soil. This study does an excellent job at conducting a number of tests to assure the results are accurate. One thing other than lowering pH that is proven in this study is that plants uptake nutrients better after being irrigated with C0₂ enriched water. This has been test on and proven before, but it’s always nice to see the same positive results in numerous studies.