Super-Oxygenated Water Can Make Tomatoes Healthier
By Michelle Fabio
Dr. Albert H. (Bud) Markhart of the Department of Horticultural Science at the University of Minnesota has found that so-called “super-oxygenated irrigation” while growing tomatoes increases their levels of Vitamin A/beta carotene and the powerful antioxidant lycopene.
Moreover, the higher levels of oxygen also increase productivity as well as the size of the resulting tomatoes.
The tests were conducted at two different locations—one in a greenhouse and the other outdoors. At each spot, some plants were hand-watered and some were drip-irrigated, with one set at each location given super-oxygenated water.
Tomato plants drinking up the extra oxygen ended up with 25% more Vitamin A/beta carotene. Lycopene was found to have 63% more trans-lycopene in the super-oxygenated plants.
If you’re wondering how the plants were given super-oxygenated water, it was through the Enki™ Super-oxygenating Watering Device, which supplies up to 50% more oxygen than ordinary rainwater in a half-hour. The extra oxygen is delivered directly to plant roots, making them stronger and healthier and able to produce more fruit, according to the website of Enki™.
March 21st, 2008 at 9:56 am
This is interesting. I think I’ll have to try it out myself. I have some battery powered bubblers with an air stone from my old fish tank that should do the trick.
March 21st, 2008 at 12:14 pm
Great idea Anthony! Please let us know how it turns out.
March 22nd, 2008 at 4:22 pm
Not a bad thought, Anthony. Using an air bubbler will increase the dissolved oxygen, no doubt, but it takes a while. It’s certainly better than well water. However, the best you can do with an air bubbler is to approach the level of dissolved oxygen found in rain water. To go beyond that, and get to the level of oxygenation that produced the test results would require doing something different than an air bubbler.
March 6th, 2009 at 5:03 pm
I would be interested in purchasing this product for my website.