microBIOMETER® analysis to prove the benefit of nanobubble oxygen for plant growth

IngenuityWorx has been working to prove that the application of nanobubble oxygen as an irrigation/fertigation tool can provide low cost, easily applied plant benefits both indoors and outdoors.

It has been known for over 40 years that increased oxygen to plant roots in soil improves nutrient absorption, reduces effects of saline water or sodic soils, and increases plant growth and yields. However, traditional aeration technology prevented its use. Aerated water was limited to very short application duration and limited travel time in an irrigation line with low oxygen transfer efficiency.

The new science of nanobubbles allows us to add high dissolved oxygen concentrations, reaching 30-50 ppm, and the oxygen transfer will continue to take place for weeks. The nanobubbles don’t coalesce and break like macro bubbles, they move within the water using Brownian motion, and upon giving up all their oxygen produce small amounts of reactive oxygen species including hydrogen peroxide. This feature provides a built-in cleaning process that removes biofilm.

The microBIOMETER® analysis here shows that high dissolved oxygen in the irrigation water stimulated the microbial biomass and fungi to increase in number indicating a healthy microbiome in the soil for plant growth.

Additional work is ongoing to measure and understand the effects of the oxygenated water and microbial increases as it relates to soil carbon utilization, and its impact on carbon reserves and available nutrients. For more information, please contact bob@ingenuityworx.com.