The “rainmaker” helping water last longer

Optimising eld capacity (soil’s ability to retain moisture when excess has naturally drained away) is the nal frontier for lifestyle blocks, commercial growers, and arable farmers.

Zeba, from sustainable protection solutions provider UPL NZ Ltd, is a leading-edge product addressing this urgent environmental challenge.

UPL NZ Upper North Island regional manager Pieter Van Der Westhuizen says Zeba helps water live longer.

“It’s a potential life-changer for plants, and for farmers and growers.” used. And, Zeba is easy to apply down the spout, at sowing. It works well, especially when you’ve got a ne tilth – in a wellworked seed bed it’s brilliant.

“Zeba is an insurance policy.

“Much like the way you’d choose to use treated seed over untreated.

“It saves a ton of e ort and money, and bene ts plants, soil, and the environment.”

Continues to recharge

Pieter says Zeba will continue to recharge the soil when there is additional moisture before eventually breaking down.

He sounds a note of caution: Zeba is not all things to all paddocks, properties or all farming systems.

“Where Zeba especially comes into its own is when you’re looking at crop establishment, particularly for crops where you only really get once chance –like maize and forage brassicas.

“We’ve also had impressive results in the establishment of kale, following a crop of cereal. You can see a real di erence between the part of the paddock where Zeba had been used.” e unique starch composition of Zeba also supports soil microbial communities promoting a more sustainable environment. is year’s summer is predicted to get dry. So, if you want to retain as much moisture as possible, then talk to your local technical eld representative or UPL about Zeba.

Zeba granules have a high cation exchange capacity – enabling them to positively interact with soil nutrients, keeping both water and nutrients where the plant roots need them most.

Zeba is a patented, free owing product that e ectively improves plant production and seedling establishment by retaining water and water-soluble nutrients (including nitrogen) in the root zone. ese are then released to plants through the growing season.

Added benefits

Zeba has the additional bene t of reducing the volume of leachates and other contaminants making their way into our waterways.

Pieter says for commercial growers, especially on a smaller scale, Zeba is an answer to their prayers.

“It means more yield for less water application.

“ at can be a big saving!

“Late sown onions especially will bene t.

“ e use of Zeba helps get around the growth check that comes if onions begin to wilt when moisture de cit occurs. Zeba gives growers more certainty and control.”

He says the product also has potential for growers of other specialist crops including high-value, small salad greens, which don’t have a lot of time to establish strong root systems before harvest.

“Zeba is an ideal tool in areas where you can’t use irrigation but can also be used to help better manage irrigated systems – saving on time, labour and fuel.”

Made from corn starch, Zeba absorbs 400 times of its body weight in water; achieving 90 per cent in just one hour.

It then releases water when plants come under moisture stress - over a period of 12-15 days.

Totally biodegradable, Zeba remains active in soil for ve months but leaves no residues behind.

“It’s right on point,” Pieter says.

“Zeba helps manage agriculture’s water footprint and address water use and supply issues; those are super-hot topics and pain points for our sector right now. And with an El Niño weather pattern forecast that’s an added pressure on farmers and growers.”

Pieter says, while relatively new to New Zealand, Zeba has performed well in very arid areas of countries including Australia, South Africa, and India. And, he says, initial data from New Zealand is equally impressive.

“Zeba activates when rain falls, or irrigation is

The planet’s favourite slug bait

Ironmax Pro®: Powerful. But gentle on the earth.

Ironmax Pro is next gen science that’s building on the toughness of Metarex® Inov. And it’s a great fit for all farming and growing practices – conventional, sustainable, regenerative, and organic.