The UAE's farmers can now use new software that helps to plan crop planting and also calculate how much water their land will need over a year.
A study carried out over many years to trace the flow of sap in date palm trees showed that farmers are using nearly three times as much water than they need to irrigate their plants.
It found that farmers typically irrigate each tree with about 300 litres of water a day.
However, by measuring the amount of sap flowing in the trunk of a date palm, researchers found they could cut that to 180 litres a day during the summer, and to as little as 60 to 80 litres in winter. This would save up to 80 per cent of the water used on the country's farms.
We found that the amount of irrigation that was being applied was three times greater than what the date palm needed
Dr Brent Clothier,
principal scientist on the project
Part of a joint research project by the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi and New Zealand Plant and Food Research, the experiments provided advice on how to balance the requirements of date farmers and the need to conserve water.
“Back in 2014, for the first time ever we were able to measure how much water, directly, a date palm tree used,” said Dr Brent Clothier, principal scientist on the project.
“We found that the amount of irrigation that was being applied was three times greater than what the date palm needed.
“What we have done is put all of that knowledge into a software tool that now exists within the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi so that it can allocate water more sustainably, not only to date palms but a whole range of crops here in the Emirates.”
The crop calculator software allows users to determine the best location and soil to grow certain crops, and the exact amount of water it needs throughout the year.
Understanding the sap flow within a date palm helps to determine the amount of water being consumed by a plant, as not all water used for irrigation is consumed by the tree.
Long probes were inserted into the trunks of date palms at the International Centre for Biosaline Agriculture in Dubai to measure sap flow.
Researchers used a “heat dissipation method to monitor flow” in date palms, which in turn led them to understand the transpiration, or loss of water vapour.
From there, they could determine how much water the tree was using to thrive.
Species of date palm were put into three categories: low salinity irrigation, medium salinity and high salinity.
The scientists found the plants in the low salinity section needed more water but grew taller and gave a better date yield.
The plants in the high salinity section were smaller in size and produced less yield, but required less water.
“The fruits are completely different between the low salinity irrigation to the high salinity,” said Dr Ahmed Almuaini, groundwater project manager at the agency.
“The [fruit from the] low salinity section is very tasty. You feel it, there is sugar. But the high salinity [fruit] has less sugar and is a little bit dry.
“We now have this software tool created from this research which we are hoping to start using at the agency every soon.”
He said by taking into consideration all the factors that play a role in the amount of water consumed by each tree in different places in the emirate, such as soil, climate, plant size and type, the salinity of water and other factors, they will be able to allocate the right amount of water for irrigation.
In a hot and arid desert such as the UAE, farmers are often limited with the amount of crop they can produce using traditional farming methods.
However, the UAE’s agricultural sector is a significant user of the country’s limited resources, accounting for approximately 72 per cent of fresh water consumed.
Despite heavy water consumption, the sector produces less than 20 per cent of the UAE’s food.
By using technology to measure the exact amount of water they need, farmers could help slow down the speed at which ground and freshwater reserves are being consumed.
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
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THE BIO
Born: Mukalla, Yemen, 1979
Education: UAE University, Al Ain
Family: Married with two daughters: Asayel, 7, and Sara, 6
Favourite piece of music: Horse Dance by Naseer Shamma
Favourite book: Science and geology
Favourite place to travel to: Washington DC
Best advice you’ve ever been given: If you have a dream, you have to believe it, then you will see it.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
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Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
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THE LOWDOWN
Photograph
Rating: 4/5
Produced by: Poetic License Motion Pictures; RSVP Movies
Director: Ritesh Batra
Cast: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Sanya Malhotra, Farrukh Jaffar, Deepak Chauhan, Vijay Raaz
Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
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Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
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SUNDAY'S ABU DHABI T10 MATCHES
Northern Warriors v Team Abu Dhabi, 3.30pm
Bangla Tigers v Karnataka Tuskers, 5.45pm
Qalandars v Maratha Arabians, 8pm
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
THREE
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Getting there
Flydubai flies direct from Dubai to Tbilisi from Dh1,025 return including taxes
WOMAN AND CHILD
Director: Saeed Roustaee
Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi
Rating: 4/5
