As professionals in the sector, we often find irrigation systems with serious difficulties due to the presence in the network and equipment of the commonly known as oba, algae, slime, slime, dirt… which causes Clogging of the emitters, loss of efficiency of the installation and increased frequency and intensity of maintenance work.
Biofilm arises due to the tendency of microorganisms to group together and if not acted upon in time and with knowledge, it can cause a very serious problem when part of the layer formed detaches in the form of sheets or lumps with clogging capacity inside the pipes, and can clog an entire network of emitters in a definitive and irreversible way in most cases, putting the crop at risk. At that moment all the alarms go off and the farmer begins to be aware of the seriousness of the problem
But… What is biofilm?
The biofilm or biofilm is a layer of organic mass; generally dark in color and gelatinous in texture, formed by colonies of associated and organized microorganisms that cover surfaces, generally in contact with water or with a high degree of humidity. Frequently, these colonies capture mineral sediments and dissolved salts that make up its Frame. According to theSpanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition (AESAN)biofilms are defined as“Complex communities of microorganisms growing embedded in a self-produced polymeric organic matrix attached to a surface, either living (mucosal biofilm) or inert, and which may present a single microbial species or a range of different species.”
We must not confuse biofilm with thebriozoo. The biofilm is formed mainly by colonies of bacteria associated with each other. The bryozoan is formed by grouping of more complex and larger organisms (up to 0.5 mm) that settle in colonies forming branched stolons that often exceed 30 cm, and can clog large irrigation infrastructures. We can find biofilm in industrial facilities and equipment, in our homes, on the surface of food, in our body and, of course, in irrigation systems.
