Carbogation?EUR??,,????'??+Combining Drip Irrigation with CO2 for Superior Yields

Carbogation?EUR??,,????<

Carbogation research is being tested by irrigation researchers at Fresno State?EUR??,,????'???s Center for Irrigation Technology. Research scientists Florence Cassel Sharmasarkar and Dave Goorahoo are leading a study of field application of carbon dioxide to strawberry plants. The research team previously studied the system with a tomato crop. Cassel reported tomato weight increases of 65 percent, a total fruit number increase of 25 percent, and a total marketable harvest weight increase of 120 percent, more than double the conventional yield. Cassel believes the research has global applications.

One problem is that CO2 is expensive to obtain (CO2 makes up only .03 percent of the earth?EUR??,,????'???s atmosphere) and to transport, plus you need a place to store it and equipment to apply it. CO2 is a by-product of human exhalation. Plants use the sun?EUR??,,????'???s energy to produce sugar from water and CO2.