Arava Center for Agricultural Water Use Efficiency Research
Presentation & Mission Statement
Researchers at Arava R&D have been involved with water use efficiency development for more than 40 years, beginning with design and field trials of the first modern drip irrigation systems.
Today, research at the “Arava” station at Yotvata includes technical developments in micro-irrigation, advances in irrigation scheduling, and investigations of plant response to environmental stresses.
A new design for lysimeter systems has been developed by researchers at the station that allows for exact water and solute monitoring and balance under conditions that mimic those in agricultural fields. Using the lysimeters, precise data are obtained concerning crop water requirements and yield response to a multitude of environmental and management parameters and crops. Through cooperation with regional extension services and growers’ organizations, appropriate application regimes and water management parameters are being developed for irrigation of economic crops using marginal (saline and recycled wastewater) water sources.
The center is a place where contributions to economic needs of the Southern Arava goes hand in hand with contributions to basic science of global importance.
The vision for the center for agricultural water use efficiency research includes:
- To study and understand water-soil-plant-atmosphere relationships.
- To develop and evaluate irrigation technologies and techniques.
- To Increase water use efficiency in (desert) agriculture.
- To efficiently utilize marginal (saline and effluent) water supplies.
- To Increase fertilizer efficiency.
- To decrease environmental contamination from agricultural sources.
- To model plant response to agricultural conditions including water quality and stress considerations and promote use of such models for agricultural management.
- To promote successful agriculture in Israel’s arid south.
- To advance regional development through sharing of knowledge and technology with Israel’s neighbors.
- To contribute to science through publication in professional journals involving topics of soil physics, soil chemistry, irrigation, plant growth, water management and response to stress conditions.
- To build and promote international scientific cooperation.
- To provide a platform for academic advancement and achievement of the local population.
Ongoing research
Here is some examples of established research systems att the Arava Center for Agricultural Water Use Efficiency Research:
- Date Palms in lysimeters
- Study of the combined effects of salinity and high boron in irrigation water on water requirements. 20 independently controlled and monitored trees in 2.5 cubic meter containers. Automation of irrigation supply and drainage collection. Constant weighing of each lysimeter.
- “Carousel” for water balance research of greenhouse crops
- Determination of effect of salinity and water content on greenhouse peppers. 24 fully automated lysimeters.
- Analysis of irrigation water salinity and frequency of irrigation scheduling on grafted watermelons
- Field includes 50 fully automated lysimeters for water use determination and for determination of soil and groundwater contamination for field crops.
