Tasmanian vegetable farmers could soon be using electrolysed water on their crops as an alternative to some chemicals, if tests confirm suspected benefits.

Electrolysed water works as a surface sanitiser, and is produced by passing an electrical current through salt water.

Researchers said it has been used extensively in some overseas countries as a cleaning agent, but little is known about its effectiveness in production horticulture.

The Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association (TFGA) has partnered with the Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture to investigate its use in the vegetable industry.

The institute's Professor Roger Stanley said he was confident electrolysed water had potential.

"The future here is probably very good," Professor Stanley said.

"We can use it to extend the shelf life of food.

"The other use could be as a field sanitiser, for controlling the fungal bacteria infection in crops.

"It's a contact sanitiser so it doesn't have systemic effects but will prevent the infection from getting into the plant."

TFGA expects 'broad applications'

Karine Cadoret from the TFGA agreed.

"The applications really are quite broad and they can stretch from in-field use, right the way through to packaging," Ms Cadoret said.

"Electrolysed water technology [could be used for] disease suppression in-field or cleaning of equipment perhaps for biosecurity purposes, right the way through washing fresh produce to extend the shelf life."

She said she hoped the technology would reduce the industry's reliance on chemicals.

"Disease in production systems is obviously a big issue," she said.

"We do have, in conventional farming, an array of chemicals that can be used - but obviously there are risks associated with that.

"So to have another tool, part of the array of the things that [they] can use to ensure that their production will yield good results has obviously got a lot of potential benefits."

Professor Stanley said he hoped the move would help the industry move away from some chemicals.

"At the moment, a lot of crops develop around spray programs using fungicides and insecticides," he said.

"[Electrolysed water] has the potential to lower the use of fungicides by preventing the infection in the first place.

"It's a novel and innovative use of an old technology and we really want our farmers to be up and taking advantage of these new uses."

Agronomist backs electrolysed water

Mark Parkinson has been using electrolysed water in his agronomy business in Queensland for the past two years.

"It's made a big difference in helping me getting my farmers to point A to point B, without getting crucified with diseases," he said.

Mr Parkinson said he found it effective in reducing the occurrence of white rot in onion crops.

"Instead of a 90 per cent destruction of the paddocks, it's been a 90 per cent keepsake or more, 95 per cent.

"I don't believe in golden bullets and this is not a golden bullet, don't get me wrong, but it's pretty close."

He said it was a much cheaper alternative to most chemicals.

"The inputs in agriculture... [are] beginning to cripple the farming industry," he said.

Mark Parkinson with an electrolysing machine; he has been using the water in his agronomy business in Queensland for the past two years. ( ABC News )

"[Electrolysed water] costs three cents a litre to make.

"So you can throw on your $150 or $100-a-hectare chemicals, they just don't work.

"This is three cents a litre, at 750 litres a hectare, and it does work."

Karine Cadoret agreed.

"In terms of production, it's got great, sort of productivity and cost reduction ... applications," she said.

She said she believed it could also further enhance the reputation of Tasmania's agriculture industry.

"The clean and green and safe image of the Tasmanian produce would definitely benefit from having technology like this," she said.

"The technology has actually been certified for organic production systems and it's safe for the environment, as well as being safe for humans."

Nathan Richardson is a farmer on Tasmania's north-west coast.

He said he was excited at the prospect of using electrolysed water as part of his farming enterprise.

"As soon as I heard about it I thought 'right, does that work in my poultry operation, for either sanitisation or water consumption for the animals?'" he said.

"I care about the soil and the environment and the people that are eating our food.

"Anything we can do to lessen the impact on the flora and fauna through the use of pesticides has got to be a great thing."