Plasma Waters establishes a field trial in Canyon, Texas, studying the effects of Plasma Activated Water (PAW) on yield and yield preservation in row crops
Plasma Waters announces the first field trial of a Plasma Activated Water. The trial, which is in collaboration with West Texas A&M University (WTAMU) in Canyon, Texas, is part of the company’s expansion into field agriculture and is linked to the company’s Plasma Farming Lab, which is soon to break ground.
The trial is made possible by converting water into plasma – and then back again into liquid water – as a continuous flow in large volumes. It uses commercial and already high-yielding varieties of two important row crops and irrigates them with PAW according to normal demands. Evaluations of components of yield and stress tolerance are already underway.
The trial paves the way towards the adoption of PAW into outdoor agriculture. “Emboldened by our early results, we are already pushing our technology into the field and into row crops, where productivity challenges have still to be met. Our field trials are the first step towards realizing the impact of plasma activated water for all of agriculture, not just Controlled Environment Agriculture”, explained Roger Pennell, Chief Development Officer – PW.
This transition marks the first time a plasma technology has been deployed in the field and in row crops.
The trial is taking place at WTAMU’s Nance Ranch, approximately 475 acres of cultivated land east of Canyon. The farming operation acts as a working laboratory for the Semi-Arid Agricultural Systems and provides numerous research and teaching opportunities for faculty and students.
WTAMU’s Department of Agricultural Sciences, located in the Paul Engler College of Agriculture and Natural Sciences, offers eight undergraduate degree programs, ranging from business to science, education to communication. The department also offers four graduate degree programs, including a doctoral program in agricultural systems.
About West Texas A&M University
WTAMU is located in Canyon, Texas, on a 342-acre residential campus. Established in 1910, the University has been part of The Texas A&M University System since 1990. WT, a Hispanic Serving Institution since 2016, boasts an enrollment of about 10,000 and offers 59 undergraduate degree programs and more than 40 graduate degrees, including two doctoral degrees.
