Check your water – use UV

Water scarcity, water costs and awareness of water treatment issues all contribute to the increasing use of water recirculation systems. But recirculating water presents a new set of challenges to prevent the spread of bacterial, fungal and viral spores. Without the right water treatment, infections can spread throughout production.

Infections can enter nurseries with new soil, new seeds or rainwater used for irrigation. These sources of infection can introduce bacteria or different types of fungi like fusarium to your production. Fusarium is particularly difficult to remove and can be harmful to your crop.
The spread of infection to healthy plants is a major challenge for growers – especially when water is recycled in nurseries – see Irrigation and fertilizer setup

“A rule of thumb is to use as much return water as possible when watering, and when multiple plants are connected to the same body of water, the spread of infection can be fast and extensive.”
Morten Hjorth Global Sales Manager at DGT by Senmatic

If an infection has been spread, the irrigation system requires chemical treatment and the loss can be significant. In a production potentially worth millions, significant losses can be extremely critical.

In an irrigation setup, approximately 80 percent of water is recycled, both to save water resources and money and to minimize fertilizer consumption. When water is recycled, it is initially filtered through a sand filter that removes particles, leaves and other organic material. Then the water is filtered through a disc filter that removes possible sand. In several greenhouses, the water treatment is completed and the filtered water is reused for irrigation. With this setup, potential infections are not eliminated and if bacterial, fungal or viral spores have entered the water, the infection can spread to healthy plants throughout production.

UV water treatment removes all bacteria and fungi and ensures that any potential infection is eliminated. By exposing water to UV light in a filter consisting of several light tubes, the water is completely disinfected. The number of fluorescent tubes needed in the system is calculated based on the transparency and flow of water. If the water transparency is low, the UV light will struggle to reach and thus disinfect all the water – therefore the lower the transparency, the more UV light tubes will be needed. UV water treatment is the most effective way to ensure that no infection spreads to the rest of your production when recirculating water.

Tips for disease management

Besides implementing a UV filter in your irrigation and fertilization setup, you can take several steps to avoid disease in your production:

  • Inspect seedlings and incoming cuttings by looking for localized symptoms such as leaf spots, broken sprouts, root fungus symptoms and root lesions.
  • Ensure an optimal irrigation strategy
  • Remove all diseased plants and place them in sealed plastic bags.
  • Inspect plants regularly – at least 5% of all plants in the crop.
  • The risk of infection is highest during the fall – be extra careful at this time of year.
  • Secure access to the greenhouse so that germs are not carried away by people entering.
  • Do not place cut material close to the greenhouse.
  • Maintain good temperature and humidity in your greenhouse with a climate computer

Low-cost insurance for your greenhouse irrigation system

There are multiple entry points for disease in your production, so you will rarely be able to pinpoint when or how an infection has occurred. UV water treatment is your insurance against spread if an infection does occur.
The UV water treatment solution from DGT by Senmatic is environmentally friendly, easy to implement and can easily be added to a new or existing irrigation system.

“Don’t gamble with your water supply! You can compare the investment to an insurance policy – and a very cheap one compared to the cost if an outbreak actually occurs in your production.”
Morten Hjorth Global Sales Manager at DGT by Senmatic

Interested in learning more about UV disinfection? Contact DGT by Senmatic today!

Find the relevant specialist here

Contact a specialist from DGT by Senmatic to get tailored guidance for your horticultural department. Our team of experts are ready to help you optimize your nursery with sustainable technology solutions.

Morten Hjorth

Global Sales Manager

Kristoffer Hvalsøe

Key Account Manager

Søren Bro Christensen

Technical Support

Sandra Lehmann-Larsen

Sales supporter and Communication Officer

DGT SALGSTEAM

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