What is Earth-Still?

It is a novel way to grow plants on hot & arid wastelands with little rainfall. All soils contain some moisture & plant roots tap this moisture by osmotic-pressure difference. But, in arid regions, the water is so tightly bound in the soil that it is not easily available to the seedlings because of their shallow root system & inadequate osmotic potential. So solar still uses the heat of solar radiation to free the water bound in the soil & use it for irrigation.

Features:

Earth-still uses the heat of solar radiation to free the water bound in the soil &use it for irrigation.
  • This still is required only until the seedling gets established on the ground.
  • A single pit on an average produces 300 milliliters water per day enough to sustain four seedlings.
  • Cost - The solar still costs less than Rs 200 to build.
Method

Dig a pit about 6 cm deep, cover it with a “Solar Water Evaporation Still” or “Earth-Still”, it has reflecting sides & a sloping glass roof. The heat generated by the solar radiation releases the moisture from the soil & then the droplets collect on the glass roof which has a cup attached to it & the water collects in a bottle. This water is used to nourish the seedlings planted around the pit.

Benefits
  • After seedling gets established “Earth-Still” can be re-used over another pit.
  • It gives a 100% survival rate against the survival rate of rain feed seedlings of about 70-80%.
  • It acts as a drip irrigation system.
REMARKABLE INNOVATION BY JAMANALAL BAJAJ AWARDEE 2001:

SHRI ANIL KUMAR RAJVANSHI
DIRECTOR NIMBKAR AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE (NARI)
P.O. BOX 44, TAMBAL, PHALTAN-415 523
MAHARASHTRA
INDIA

Website: www.nariphaltan.virtualave.net