Investigation of the effect of superabsorbent polymer application on soil moisture and plant growth

Year 2024, Volume: 5 Issue: 1, 24 - 30, 30.04.2024

Senem Seven Yeşim Menceloğlu Kemal Ünlü Kadriye Kahraman Ogeday Rodop İpek Bilge Mustafa Atilla Yazıcı Yusuf Menceloğlu

https://doi.org/10.51753/flsrt.1348591

Abstract

As climate change continues to affect the environment, drought management has become more critical in agri-food production. Farmers are now looking for alternative drought management methods that are easy to apply. In this sense, superabsorbent polymers (SAPs) were proposed as an alternative soil conditioning and drought management tool within this study. To test the efficiency of a developed SAP in terms of soil conditioning and plant growth promotion with different soil types and extreme drought conditions, long-term soil and greenhouse experiments were carried out in at least 4 replicates. The plant growth was monitored by 4 different growth indicators using wheat as a model plant. Plant growth indicators demonstrated that shoot dry matter, spike length, and grain yield were enhanced up to 24%, and 11.6% using different amounts of SAP at varying drought conditions. The study set forth and exemplary of superabsorbent polymer use in agriculture and useful in dose adjustment and understanding the drought-dose relationship in these types of polymers.

Keywords

Drought stress, irrigation, superabsorbent polymer, sustainable agriculture

Supporting Institution

Tubitak

Project Number

2190116

Thanks

The authors would like to thank the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, General Directorate of Plant Protection Central Research Institute, Turkey (ZMMAE) for their contribution to this study providing soil samples. This work is supported by The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK)

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