Low-Water Crops
Water covers nearly three-fourths the planet. Still, water is a scarce and coveted resource in many areas, such as parts of India and Africa, and, nowadays, California. California has been plagued by droughts for much of this decade. Dry spells are likely to strike just about everywhere from time to time. And everywhere, it is in the best interests of farmers and consumers that water is used with efficiency.
One of the great ways to conserve water is via low-water crops.
Every crop has a different water footprint — the amount of water needed to grow it. Some fruits require three times the water as some vegetables. Tree nuts, one of the thirstiest crops that can be grown, may need ten times the water of many fruits.
A number of low-water crops exist. They include okra, artichokes, sweet potatoes, some members of the nightshade family, and a host of others. Beans like are especially known for their modest water intake. Snap beans and pole beans, in addition to not needing all that much water to sustain growth, have brief growing seasons. Black eyed peas even perform poorly unless watering is carefully restricted.
In terms of water intake, one of the least demanding beans is the tepary bean. The tepary bean is native to the American southwest and has been used since ancient times. All but lost to history in recent years, a group known as Native Seeds/SEARCH revived the bean to wide use again in conjunction with Arizona farms. The bean can handle heat and fierce drought.
Dry farming often produces soil that looks dry and cracked. Though the earth’s surface may look parched and withered on these farms, water is spread through the soil below. Plant roots tap into this water latent in the soil. If the right crops are planted the right way, it is possible to dry farm.
Today, dry farming is becoming more popular. You even see dry farming in Napa Valley vineyards. The technique tends to produce smaller yields and physically smaller fruits and vegetables, but what they lack in size they often compensate for in flavor.
We are lucky to have techniques like dry farming and crops that thrive on surprisingly little water. Both may be useful as droughts continue to threaten agriculture and as the earth’s climate continues to change.
As farmers adjust to climate change, food companies continue to adapt to reduce their food safety risk. QWerks helps companies become more efficient and reduce risk in their quality process. Find out more about QWerks.
