Wheat
Mpongwe, Zambia
Trial Duration | 5 months
770kg
per hectare
more yield
About the Trial
The Mpongwe trial was carried out on one of the largest farms in Zambia, with over 3,600Ha under production. In recent years, water shortages have reduced total production on the farm, which could be 100Ha larger if sufficient water were available.
Under the supervision of Brian Jenkins, the trial covered a 65-hectare pivot. The variety of wheat grown was Shungu. The Aqualatus-treated area received 3 applications covering 2.0L + 1.0L + 1.0L, totalling 4.0L per hectare.
Half of the pivot was treated with Integrate — specifically the upper eastern side — to test its effect on moisture retention.
Total application of Aqualatus for the pivot and crop was 4.0L/ha, or 40 litres for the trial plot area.
Location and Challenges
The pivot has a drop from east to west, so the lower western side normally sits wetter than the east and typically performs better on yield.
The trial was planted on 20 April, and water was turned off 116 days after planting. Due to extended periods of load shedding, the pivot faced significant water shortages, with water availability totalling only 75% of normal irrigation levels (420mm of a normal 580mm).
As a result, no water was saved in this trial — the challenge here was assessing performance under constrained irrigation, not water savings.
During the middle grain-fill period, the whole pivot received only intermittent irrigation due to load shedding, reducing overall yield potential.
NDVI satellite imagery taken during this period showed that the Aqualatus-treated eastern side held on to available water more effectively against evaporation and gravity, supporting greater crop development than the untreated side.
Trial Conclusion
Results
Both sides of the pivot underperformed due to insufficient irrigation through the grain-fill period, though some encouraging results emerged from the Aqualatus-treated area.
Field name | Area (ha) | Planting date | Plot | Tonnage | Moisture | Average Yield Kgs/Ha | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Field 24 | 5.46 | 12 June | Control | 32.28 | 12.5 | 5910 | Planted quite late, 12 June
|
Field 24 | 10 | 12 June | Aqualatus Trial | 67.08 | 12.5 | 6710 | Planted quite late, 12 June
|
Yield per hectare was clearly improved on the Aqualatus-treated eastern side, increasing by 770kg per hectare due to the moisture retained in the soil during grain fill. With 2024 Zambian wheat priced at $500 per tonne, this improvement translated into an increased return of $12,512.00 across the treated 32.5-hectare half of the pivot.
Field name | Area (ha) | Description | Yield (t) | Per hectare | Average Moisture % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
P5 Pivot | 32.5 | West - Control | 150.12 | 4.61 | 9.2 |
P5 Pivot | 32.5 | East - Aqualatus | 175.08 | 5.38 | 9.6 |
Conclusion
This was a positive, if compromised, trial — water levels were lower than optimal, limiting the ability to fully demonstrate water-saving potential. Even so, the yield difference was a valuable boost for the farm in an otherwise disappointing year, and it highlighted just how important Aqualatus can be during periods of severe water stress.
