Efforts afoot to capture fog for wheat crop

Experts were working to shape wheat plants in such a way that dew-drops could make their way to roots

MULTAN:  

In a recent development, agriculture experts at the Muhammad Nawaz Sharif University of Agriculture (MNSUA) are working on fog capturing for wheat crop to address water shortage, Express News reported.

MNSUA Office of Research, Innovation and Commercialisation (ORIC) Director Dr Zulfiqar said that in January, wheat crops faced a water shortage due to closure of canals and it was high time for nurturing wheat grains. He added that the fog continues to persist in January. To find a way out, he maintained that university experts were working to bring dew-drops from the fog to the roots of the wheat crop as a source of water.

Zulfiqar mentioned that during the foggy season, dew-drops were seen on plants leaves and that experts were working to shape wheat plants in such a manner that these drops could automatically make their way to the roots of the wheat plants.

He pointed out that USAID provided funds worth 100,000 dollars for research on fog capturing for wheat crop.

ORIC director elaborated that in deserts ‘sarkanda grass’ grows because of the fog despite the unavailability of a irrigation system. He expressed hope that the experts would succeed in their research. He highlighted that among four traits needed for success, including wheat hairs, grooves leaf angle and leaf rolling they had developed three traits in wheat crops.

The official said that wheat crop leaf angles would help bring fog water to the roots.

He said that Pakistan will face a severe water shortage by 2025. “Fog capturing will enable the farming sector to save money on irrigation,” he remarked. “Usually, wheat crops are irrigated four times in a season. Farmers have to spend Rs1,200 to irrigate one acre of wheat crop through water from tube wells,” he said.

Zulfiqar hoped that fog capturing would surely help meet water scarcity for crops in future.