Is Radio Wave Treatment of Water a Credible Solution for Agriculture?

AI Thread Summary
The discussion centers around a controversial technology called Vi-Aqua, which claims to enhance agricultural output by treating water with radio waves. Developed by researchers at Limerick University, the technology reportedly increases the yield of fruits and vegetables by up to 30%. However, skepticism arises due to the lack of peer-reviewed studies supporting these claims. Concerns are heightened by a response from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, clarifying that they have not endorsed Vi-Aqua since 2009, contradicting claims made in a recent article. The overall sentiment leans towards skepticism, with many participants highlighting the absence of scientific validation and warning against potential pseudoscience.
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I hesitate to post this as it sure sounds like woo but it comes from an Irish University Prof. and appears to be endorsed by the Royal botanic gardens at Kew!

Does anyone know of a peer reviewed paper?

http://www.independent.ie/business/...lobal-warming-gm-and-pesticides-29525621.html

Selected quotes:

Wave goodbye to global warming, GM and pesticides. Radio wave-treated water could change agriculture as we know it.

The technology – radio wave energised water – massively increases the output of vegetables and fruits by up to 30 per cent.

Developed by Professor Austin Darragh and Dr JJ Leahy of Limerick University's Department of Chemistry and Environmental Science.

Vi-Aqua – meaning 'life water' – converts 24 volts of electricity into a radio signal, which charges up the water via an antennae...

Extensively tested in Warrenstown Agricultural College...

During recent successful tomato crop field trials in Italy, three of the country's largest Agricultural Co-op's were so impressed with the results that they have now decided to recommend the technology to the country's farming community.
 
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Nothing neither here nor here. And I agree it definitely sounds like a woo woo.
 
Googling Vi Aqua, one finds the company web page. It raises most of the red flags of pseudoscience.

The documentation presented makes no reference to any peer-reviewed study. As such, I think the subject if off-limits for PF.
 
A member at Jref e-mailed the Botanic Gardens and got a reply.
I have received a reply from the Customer Information Supervisor at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew:
Originally Posted by RBC, Kew
The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew has not endorsed the Vi-Aqua products since 2009. A recent press article in the Irish Independent that mentioned this endorsement and activities by Kew around it, was inaccurate.

http://forums.randi.org/showpost.php?p=9458688&postcount=49
 
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