According to FAO, 33% of our global soils are already degraded, with unsustainable farming practices being an important source of soil pollution. With a growing population expected to reach 9 billion by 2050, the excessive use of chemicals, including crop protection products, is a threat that affects food security by reducing crop yields and quality.
Organizations such as the OECD, FAO, and the EU are developing strategies and policies to reduce the use of chemicals in agriculture. Fewer new pesticides are coming to market, and over the last 7 years, the list of approved products has shrunk by more than 50%. There is an EU goal to reduce the use of chemicals in agriculture by another 50% before 2030
Yet farmers today have no viable alternatives to pesticide usage.
Our machine is currently not available for sale, but we will conduct contract steaming in 2023 for selected customer. The cost of treating one Haa depends on the problems in the field as well as soil type, moisture, steaming depth, and temperature in the soil. Please contact us and we will get back to you.
Our FieldSaver™ machine is currently undergoing extensive testing and field trials to be ready for a larger market. Our machines will be available for contract steaming in 2023 as part of our long term testing. Please provide your contact information and we will get back to you.
Yes. Steam is 100% pure water. No chemicals are used to kill the weeds, seeds and pathogens.
Soil steaming is energy intensive. Heating the soil from 10-30ºC up to more than 70ºC demands a high amount of energy, and we’re therefore working hard to reduce the energy requirement. In cooperation with research institutes, we are also conducting detailed studies of the required temperature and time we need to get the results we want. There is no reason to overheat the soil, nor from an energy or soil health point of view.
The soil steaming process raises the temperature of the soil to above 70ºC. But within 24-48 hours, the soil temperature returns to normal and field operations can continue.
This will depend on how deep the soil is treated and if all or just part of the soil is steamed. It also depends on how the soil is plowed or worked after steaming. Immediately after steaming, most weeds and pests are efficiently eliminated. For deep broad steaming, i.e. treating all soil in the field, the positive effects of steaming is seen to last several years.
No. Fumigation relies on harsh and potentially hazardous chemicals. The only chemical used in soil steaming is water. What’s more, soil is usable within 24 hours of steaming, compared to at least a week with fumigation.
Weeds, insects, and diseases quickly develop resistance to modern plant protection products, throwing control programs into jeopardy. But because steaming is a physical process, rather than a chemical, it’s much less likely that an organism will develop heat resistance. Based on our knowledge and experience, no resistance to steam treatment has so far been reported.
Reduction of seeds, weeds, fungi, nematodes and harmful bacteria up to 100%, depending on temperature and treatment process.
Steam is particularly efficient against soil born organisms, often eliminating 100% of problematic soil life.
Higher yield, 20-70% often reported, up to 330% seen in our trials.
Because steaming eliminates fungal spores and nematodes, root vegetables will have a longer storage life, reducing post-harvest waste.
Many farming operations involve machinery that is potentially hazardous. But good farming practice demands properly trained operators and appropriate risk management. Soil steaming is no different and our machines incorporate appropriate safety features as standard, including software that monitors and control the process.
Our steam generators operates on low-pressure, reducing risk of serious accidents.
We are based in Norway and perform several tests and demos here every year. We’re conducting demonstrations and trials of the technology in Europe and the US. Follow our blog and our social media feeds to see when we’re coming to a field near you!
Steam is a very effective sterilizer. That’s why it’s used in hospitals and other places where utmost cleanliness is essential.
However, for our FieldSaver machines, we don’t want to completely sterilize the soil. We’re looking for a lower level of cleanliness – pasteurization, the same process used to preserve milk. By carefully controlling the maximum soil temperature at different depths, we can eliminate harmful pathogens, nematodes, weeds, and seeds, while trying to preserve as much as possible of the beneficial soil organisms. We spend significant resources on understanding soil life and how this is impacted by the steaming process at different temperatures.
Chemicals may negatively impact bees and other insects during application, long time after application and even in the outskirts of the fields where insects are pollinating. Chemicals may also be transported to rivers and lead to death of fish and life in the water.
With steam, non of this! Pure water is the only thing remaining in the soil, strengthening growth and becomming attractive nectar sources for bees and insects.
We believe not with the FieldSaver. We have conducted field trials particularly to look at earthworms, and concluded that the slow process of steaming, combined with the large equipment involved, generated soil vibrations that effectively ‘warned’ the earthworms to move deeper into the soil. When soil temperatures were back to normal, the earthworms returned.
Every agricultural operation that involves soil has the potential to cause damage. Soil steaming is no different, so it’s important to use it responsibly. We suggest that soil steaming is conducted no more than necessary and use equipment that can maintain a controlled soil temperature.
Most vegetables, fruit, and berries show increased harvest after soil steaming. The more serious problems the soil has the better performance you will see from the soil steaming.
Yes – the steaming process kills both weed seed and weed roots. Some weeds require higher temperature/time than others, and it typically takes higher temperature/time to kill weeds compared to soil born organisms. It is therefore very important to analyze the soil before steaming and adapt the steam temperature profile to the problems at hand.
The big challenge is related to weeds is the soil seed bank, rather than airborne seeds. Over many years, soil tillage distributes dormant weed seeds throughout the soil profile. Traditionally, the only way to control these has been after germination, using chemical and/or cultural controls. Soil steaming eliminates at least 96% of this seed bank, along with fungi, nematodes, and other soil-borne pathogens. While airborne seeds that arrive after steaming won’t be controlled, the elimination of the seed bank resolves – at a stroke – most of a farmer’s weed burden.
We’re still looking at this. Because there are no weeds on steamed soil, there is less competition for nutrients, and we think it might allow reduced applications. On the other hand, increased yield means more fertilizers may be needed. We’re aware of some published research that suggests the demand for nitrogen increases following soil steaming. This is an area where more research is needed, and SoilSteam is actively supporting this research.
As with any agricultural operation involving soil, the best time is when the soil is workable without risk of damage, and there’s no growing crop. Thus before planting or after harvesting is the most suitable time, particularly if the soil is warm and dry – these are good conditions for steaming.
Yes, but only down to 10 cm depth with the current regulations. Precision steaming is particularly suited for organic schemes, as this impact soil life only in limited areas.
We need water in order to make the steam. Our largest machines need 2000 liters of water per hour, while our smaller machines consumes 250 liters per hour. A large portion of the water remains as humidity in the soil, pending soil type, soil surface, and environmental conditions.
Our FieldSaver™ machines are still in test and not yet available for purchase.
