Biogeosystem technique water paradigm for prevention of the world water scarcity and cardinal transformation of current irrigation practice

Consumption up to 95 % of the global freshwater resources for irresponsible outdated irrigation practice is no longer permissible worldwide. This huge water consumption is usually declared as an insurmountable consequence of irrigation technology and justified by the need for food production. This abnormal amount contradicts the task of human survival. Thus a call for a technological and regulatory breakthrough in the sphere of water resources is urgent. The current irrigation paradigm is based on imitation of natural rain, drip, surface or subsurface water flux to the soil. Old outdated irrigation paradigm links together two stages of the soil moisturizing process: water supply to the soil and water spreading throughout the soil continuum. This is a systemic disadvantage of standard irrigation. This lack stems from the simulation of natural water distribution.  The current imitative paradigm of irrigation simultaneously reproduces other phenomena of the natural hydrological process. These are excess of freshwater consumption for 4–15 times compared with plant water demand; spatial differentiation of the soil moisture and vegetation growth conditions; soil compaction and over-moistening and landscape waterlogging; increased share of the unstable mineral in soil, preferential water fluxes through the soil to vadose zone and saturation zone; leaching of the soil organic matter and nutrients, and generally uncontrolled biogeochemical process caused by the standard irrigation.  

We developed the transcendental Biogeosystem Technique (BGT*) methodology as a basis of development of the new soil watering paradigm. New intra-soil pulse continuous-discrete plant watering paradigm is executed by injection of successive small portions of water intra-soil via syringe into the soil vertical cylinder of 1.5–2.5 cm diameter at a depth of 10 to 35 cm. In the period of 5–10 min after individual injection, the water redistributes in the soil in the vicinity of the watered cylinder via capillary, film and vapour transfer. An ambient soil carcass remains mechanically stable. This carcass supports the soil which was disturbed hydrodynamically while intra-soil water injection mechanically, providing a multilevel aggregation of the soil fine fractions preferable for development of the rhizosphere. Resulting matrix soil water potential is of −0.2 MPa. At this potential, the soil solution has a rather high concentration. This concentration is optimal for the nutrition of plants. At the same time, such concentration of the soil solution is healthy for the soil, soil biota, and plant as a rather high air content provided. In absence of the over-moistening, the plant resistivity for pathogens becomes higher. The stomatal apparatus of plants operate in regulation mode, providing water saving. Freshwater consumption 4–20 times less compared to standard irrigation. Fertilizers, pesticide efficiency, and soil productivity are higher. Higher rate biogeochemical process control is provided. The environmental damage of standard irrigation excluded. BGT* robotic intra-soil pulse continuous-discrete watering system developed. The opportunity provided for the global water scarcity overcoming. It is possible to expand the biosphere and provide non-conflicting sustainable technological and environmental safety.

The research was supported by the RFBR, project no. 18-29-25071, and the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of Russia, no. 0852-2020-0029.