Speaker
Description
The Smart Irrigation Cube for Sustainable Agriculture in the Mediterranean Region (SmaCuMed) is a collaborative research initiative supported by the European Union's EU-Prima initiative. This project integrates advanced desalination technologies, including membrane capacitive deionization (MCDI) and low-pressure reverse osmosis (LPRO), into a comprehensive smart irrigation cube system. The system enables the autonomous purification of brackish groundwater and precise sensor-controlled irrigation in remote Mediterranean areas. it specifically focuses on cultivating date palms and argan trees in Essaouira and Erfoud respectively.
As a project partner (UMI), our work involves conducting meticulous testing of this technology on date palm plants (cv. Mejhoul) in the desertic conditions of our designated pilot site (Erfoud). We have utilized both desalination technologies to irrigate three distinct fields: the Red field (2 g.l-1), the Blue field (3.5 g.l-1), and the Yellow field (Control: irrigated with well water containing a salt concentration of 5 g.l-1). Throughout the experiment, we have diligently monitored the plant responses to these different water regimes, investigating various aspects to evaluate the effectiveness of the desalination technologies. We have specifically assessed osmotic stress, oxidative stress, and ionic stress on a graded scale. Our findings clearly indicate significant differences among the three fields since the initiation of irrigation, particularly with regards to total chlorophyll concentrations, which are most noticeable in the Red field. Additionally, our analysis has revealed interesting results concerning the concentration of total phenolic compounds, known for their antioxidant properties, as well as the activity of some antioxidant enzymes. Moreover, we have observed an increase in the levels of osmoprotectants, particularly in the non-irrigated field and the control field. However, it is important to note that, apart from variations in chlorophyll content, significant differences have also been recorded in terms of chlorosis occurrence and offshoot generation among the three irrigated fields, which deviate considerably from the non-irrigated field.
Keywords : date palm, Mejhoul, desalination, SmaCuMed
