Palmietfontein Farm, located in the Luckhoff area of the Northern Cape, uses underground water from pivot lands draining into a salt pan-like wetland. In 2011, Mr. C du Toit built a 20 m diameter dam for irrigation, but initial maize yields were poor due to soil salinity. In 2012, lucerne was planted, leading to further challenges until the Agriwater unit was installed, improving soil aeration and increasing lucerne yields to 80-85% of local standards while eliminating irrigation blockages.
Case Studies & Trials
Barend Pienaar
1 min read
Growing Crops with Saline Water from a Salt Pan
Barend Pienaar
Summary
Mr. C du Toit improved crop irrigation on his Palmietfontein farm in South Africa by implementing a RainBox system to treat saline underground water, which initially caused poor maize yields due to soil salinity. This intervention led to significantly increased lucerne yields and improved soil conditions, showcasing the effectiveness of water treatment technology in managing saline water for agriculture.
Keywords
saline water
irrigation
maize
lucerne
soil structure
RainBox
crop yields
salt build-up
water quality
Northern Cape