Mediterranean Agriculture Under Pressure: Combating Salinity with Biotechnological Innovation

In recent years, Mediterranean agriculture has been facing an increasing number of environmental challenges linked to climate change. Among the most critical issues are rising average temperatures, irregular rainfall patterns, and increased evapotranspiration—phenomena that are progressively altering the availability and quality of water resources. The most affected areas are open-field crops and high-value agricultural zones, where water scarcity and rising salinity are becoming major constraints on productivity.

In this context, the use of saline water for irrigation has become, for many farms, more of a necessity than a strategic choice. Ongoing saltwater intrusion, the reliance on deep wells, and limited access to fresh water are forcing producers to deal with high levels of sodium and other saline elements that are harmful to both soil and crops.

The Effects of Salinity: Soil, Plants, and Profitability Under Stress

Excess salt—especially sodium—causes several agronomic issues. In soil, salinity impairs structure, reducing permeability and leading to compaction, which hinders proper water infiltration and circulation. At the crop level, sodium competes with essential cations such as calcium (Ca²⁺), magnesium (Mg²⁺), and potassium (K⁺), limiting their absorption by plant roots. This results in weaker plants, stunted vegetative growth, lower yields, and in severe cases, early root system failure.

Not all types of salinity are the same: it’s essential to distinguish between salt accumulation (neutral salts like carbonates and chlorides) and sodic salinity, which involves excess exchangeable sodium in the soil. The latter is particularly harmful to tree and vegetable crops, as it deeply disrupts nutrient dynamics and subjects plants to osmotic and physiological stress.

Technological Solutions: Effective but Not Always Accessible

To counteract salinity, advanced technologies such as reverse osmosis systems are available, which can reduce the salinity levels of irrigation water. However, these systems are energy-intensive and financially out of reach for many small and medium-sized farms. Some producers have turned to alternative methods, such as using artificial reservoirs to mix saline water with rainwater, temporarily reducing electrical conductivity. While these measures provide short-term relief, they do not address the root causes nor do they remediate already compromised soils.

SINSAL: The Biological Technology That Regenerates Soil and Crops

In response to these challenges, Mugavero has developed SINSAL, a biological water and soil corrector based on M.A.S. (Microbial Synergistic Action) technology, designed to tackle salinity in a natural, integrated, and effective way.

SINSAL stands out for its dual synergistic action:

• Chemical Action: Thanks to the presence of calcium lignosulfonates—compounds that bind sodium and reduce its availability in the soil—SINSAL helps improve soil structure and restore its cation exchange capacity.

• Microbial Action: Through a consortium of halophilic bacteria (salt-loving microorganisms), SINSAL performs multiple biological functions: sequestering excess sodium, solubilizing phosphates, and stimulating the production of siderophores—molecules that enhance the plant’s uptake of micronutrients.

This biological approach not only mitigates the effects of salinity but also regenerates the soil microbiome, making the root environment more active, balanced, and productive.

Case Study: Citrus Growers in Ribera (AG), Sicily

One of the clearest examples of SINSAL’s effectiveness comes from the Ribera area in the province of Agrigento, renowned for its Ribera IGP Oranges. When the local irrigation network cannot provide adequate water, citrus growers are forced to irrigate using water from the Magazzolo River or private wells, often containing sodium concentrations between 400 and 750 mg/L.

Considering that the recommended sodium threshold for citrus irrigation is 100 mg/L, with critical limits above 200 mg/L, this scenario is highly concerning.

Thanks to the use of SINSAL in fertigation, these farms have been able to:

• Lower the electrical conductivity of both water and soil,

• Significantly improve soil structure,

• Eliminate visible salt stress symptoms on plants,

• And most importantly, achieve higher-than-expected yields, even during dry years.

A New Alliance Between Agriculture and Biotechnology

In conclusion, SINSAL offers a practical, affordable, and sustainable solution for farmers operating in salinity-prone regions. It’s a valuable ally for those seeking to restore soil productivity, improve crop resilience, and protect profitability—without resorting to high-cost or environmentally taxing technologies.

Agricultural biotechnology can—and must—support sustainability and regeneration. SINSAL is a shining example of this potential, capable of bringing life, balance, and prosperity back to soils threatened by salinity.

L'articolo SINSAL: the natural solution to combat sodic salinity stress proviene da Mugavero.

The effect of climate on cereal crops

The ups and downs of the climate inevitably have repercussions on the yield and quality of the autumn-winter cereal crops which are traditionally grown dry. There are tools available to the field operator to allow the achievement of the best quantitative-qualitative result: the use of technologically innovative fertilizers on the one hand, agronomic techniques on the other, in a global management perspective according to the principles of ‘agriculture 4.0: thanks to the application of digital technologies, farms, especially those that deal with cereal crops, can increase profit, economic and environmental sustainability.

It is a fact that the farmer must respect the time windows useful for each cultivation operation by integrating takeaways with targeted and balanced nutrition in respect of soil fertility and at the same time be timely in the treatments to be carried out.

It is necessary to work, for the different production areas at different latitudes, on a shared supply chain path, achieving common objectives in quantitative/qualitative terms; the awareness remains that the productions in Italy of areas suitable for wheat are still insufficient to satisfy the needs of the Italian pasta industry.

The Mugavero protocol on cereal crops

The Mugavero production protocol for cereal crops presents consolidated results in terms of yield-quality combination and provides for the use of “slow release” nitrogen fertilizers with a high technological level such as the MIDOTEC line and the AUREA line respectively for bottom fertilization and cereal cover.

Midotec

The fertilizers of the Midotec line contain the 3.4 DMPP inhibitor of soil bacteria responsible for nitrification, therefore they must be buried to best express the characteristics of the fertilizer.

Aurea

Unlike the traditional nitrogen fertilization with urea that the farmer carries out “running” after the rains, the use of the Aurea fertilizer containing the urease inhibitor NBPT makes it possible to program the fertilization comfortably, regardless of the onset of rain cover nitrogen. Aurea also has the further advantage of canceling the nitrogen losses due to volatilization that occurs with the distribution of urea.

Canta and Supra

The protocol also includes a biostimulant, CANTA, and a foliar fertilizer, SUPRA.

Canta is recommended for application with weed control to reduce the stress of the herbicide on the plant; it promotes the development of roots and allows for a better-structured plant and ear. Supra has instead been studied for foliar application to complete the nitrogen requirement of the crop in the last stage of crop growth. Unlike other formulations, Supra can be used at high doses per hectare without the risk of creating phytotoxicity, even when mixed with fungicides. The application of Supra ensures, in all circumstances, the achievement of a satisfactory protein content.

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L'articolo Cereal crops: If the wheat field is green the yield is assured proviene da Mugavero.

The range of Mugavero products for fertigation consists of completely water-soluble fertilizers.

All water-soluble products are characterized by “free-flowing” or “no-packing” as the product has a humidity close to zero; this facilitates the dosage and increases the solubility.

More professionalism in the fertigation of production systems

At Mugavero we offer a range of high-tech water-soluble fertilizers for the fertigation of horticultural and fruit systems in compliance with current regulations on environmental matters and soil protection.

The NIGER line and the ENNNE’ line are among the best known of the Mugavero brand in Italy and abroad for purity, solubility and effectiveness: these are highly technical products that the operator must know well to use them correctly and best express their potential.

Nitric nitrogen is the nitrogen form most easily assimilated by the plant but at the same time the most leachable form; its use, in the long run, tends to raise the pH reaction of the soil by reducing the availability of some not very mobile elements such as phosphorus and iron. On the other hand, it is a good agronomic rule to ensure a balance between the nitric and ammonia form in the soil to allow the root system to properly assimilate all the nutrients present in the circulating solution of the soil.

In order to optimize the availability of nitrogen, in Mugavero we offer the ENNNE’ line.

The ENNNE’ line of water-soluble fertilizers presents the “slow-release” technology thanks to the presence of the nitrification inhibitor 3,4 Dimethylpyrazolophosphate (DMPP): today more than yesterday we cannot ignore the awareness of having to reduce nitrogen losses due to volatilization and make the soil-plant system more and more efficient.

The ENNNE’ line combines high efficiency, less pollution, and higher yields.

3.4 DMPP selectively and temporarily inhibits the activity of Nitrosomonas bacteria; maintaining ammonia nitrogen in the soil for a longer period, ensuring greater acidification of the root system thanks also to the presence of sulfuric anhydride.

The acidification of the soil has positive effects on the mobilization of phosphorus and microelements such as iron, copper, and zinc.

How works the 3.4 DMPP?

ENNNE’ 14.48 and ENNNE’ 21 ensure effective results and safety of use and stand out for the absence of impurities and total and immediate solubility. ENNNE’ 14.48 is indicated from the vegetative restart to flowering on tree crops and from transplanting to flowering on horticultural crops when it is necessary to strengthen the root system and promote budding and/or flowering. It has very satisfactory results on valuable fruit essences such as citrus fruits and tropical crops, especially on soils with a high pH. ENNNE ’21 is, on the other hand, indicated for the fruit set and enlargement phases; used on peach and nectarines with appreciable results on the size of the fruit.

The ENNNE ‘line now includes two new products: ENNNE’ 122 and ENNNE ‘414 entitled respectively 11.22.22 and 20.5.20; the two formulations of ternary water-soluble fertilizers, having respectively 5% and 9% ammonia nitrogen on the total nitrogen, meet specific needs for transplanting horticultural and fruit crops ensuring the acidification of the soil and transplantation.

NIGER Line

The NIGER line consists of two products: NIGER 650 and NIGER 700, NPK fertilizers characterized by a particular formulation containing humic and fulvic acids with sub-acid reaction; the presence of humic substances with sub-acid reaction allows the crop to easily overcome any biotic stress.

NIGER 650 is more suitable in cases where there are phenomena of fatigue of the soil and of the root system with compromised functionality; radical treatment with NIGER 650 immediately induces the emission of new roots. The response on the epigeal part is initially milder, but subsequently, the plant regains vigor, arriving in production with an extra boost. The vegetation of the treated plant becomes darker and takes on brilliance, ensuring a satisfactory productive result.

NIGER 700 is the ideal product for the final stages of the production cycle of plants when sugar content, consistency, and above all coloring are required; in fruit systems, it should be used at the beginning of veraison ensuring a fast acceleration of the anthocyanin synthesis processes.

It is recommended to use the NIGER line in micro-flow irrigation systems, avoiding self-compensating ones.

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Source: Terra e vita

L'articolo Fertigation of production systems: Even more professionalism proviene da Mugavero.