Soilless Cultivation is Increasingly Adopting Ozone for Disinfection
"Soilless cultivation is increasingly turning to ozone for irrigation water disinfection and treatment," confirms Giorgio Zaffani from the Italian company Ecofarm Storti, a specialist in ozone use and one of the first in Europe to develop this technique for soilless systems.
"In the last two years, orders for ozone systems have increased both from nurseries and soilless fruit and vegetable producers. Operators have realized the great health benefits of this technique and the positive results in terms of yield. Additionally, greenhouse management becomes simpler," explains Zaffani.
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And not just in Italy, since Ecofarm Storti also operates in Austria and Switzerland, particulary with tomato and cucumber producers, but also with strawberries. "Thanks to ozone treatment, the entire irrigation system is disinfected, eliminating biofilm from filters and drippers. Large volumes of water are treated quickly because the system is designed and adjusted to the specific needs of different companies".
"Ozone saturates the water, and in combination with the two molecules, generates free radicals whose effect is the saturation of oxygen concentration. Roots also benefit, as they develop vigorously. Moreover, the increased root surface area helps plants absorb nutrients more efficiently, leading to faster plant growth. Free radicals protect the roots from typical diseases and leave no residues. In short, it is an environmentally friendly technique that maintains high crop health levels, thus promoting development," Zaffani continues.
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The system, once designed and planned, is easy to install and requires no input for operation except electricity.
"Some clients have confirmed that the investment is fully recovered within 12-24 months, as diseases are drastically reduced and yields increase. In nurseries, in particular, the problem of replanting is eliminated."
"We already have more than 100 hectares of greenhouses with soilless crops treated with our system, and we have new projects in Italy, Austria, Switzerland, and Germany," concludes Zaffani.