Land S7 at HN Pieterse Farming faced poor water infiltration and shallow roots despite various treatments. After installing a RainBox in July 2013, water penetration and root growth improved, with withdrawals reaching 40 cm and deeper by 2014. The RainBox also reduced water use, cleaned irrigation systems, and increased the effective soil volume for farming, enhancing crop resilience and lowering production risks.
Case Studies & Trials
Barend Pienaar
October 2, 2024
1 min read
Water Infiltration and Rooting Depth Improvements
Barend Pienaar
Summary
The case study on HN Pieterse Farming in South Africa reveals that the installation of RainBoxes significantly improved soil aeration and root growth in heavy clay soils, overcoming previous challenges with water infiltration. This innovation led to reduced water usage, enhanced soil structure, and increased agricultural productivity.
Keywords
water infiltration
rooting depth
soil moisture
irrigation scheduling
transpiration cycles
soil structure
clay soils
RainBox installation
HN Pieterse Farming
Groblersdal