Localized hydrogel co-application improves water use efficiency and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) yield in arid agroecosystems: A resource-optimized strategy

Year 2026, Volume: 15 Issue: 1, 1 - 13, 02.01.2026

Nurlibai Manabaev Shamshaddin Yussupov Abdugani Azimov Zaure Ibragimova Altynbek Userov Bekzat Kultassov Rustam Manabaev Zhanat Suleimenova

https://doi.org/10.18393/ejss.1814298

https://izlik.org/JA23BM67YN

Abstract

Arid and semi-arid regions, particularly in Central Asia, face escalating food security challenges due to climate change and chronic drought, demanding innovative soil moisture management strategies for staple crops such as wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). This study introduces and validates an innovative agro-technological system that moves beyond conventional, high-consumption superabsorbent polymer (hydrogel) use to establish a highly resource-efficient and sustainable approach for dryland wheat cultivation. A split-plot field experiment was conducted across three distinct agroclimatic zones in the Turkestan Region of Kazakhstan (Kazygurt, Sairam, and the extremely arid Arys district). Eight treatments were evaluated, focusing on varying hydrogel dosages and localized co-application with reduced phosphorus and potassium (P/K) fertilizers. A novel patented slit-cutting unit was employed for the precise subsurface placement of the hydrogel–fertilizer mixture at a depth of 20 cm. Complementary laboratory experiments provided the mechanistic foundation, evaluating water absorption, retention, and vertical redistribution in the 0–20 cm and 20–40 cm soil layers. The hydrogel mixture increased total soil water retention by 14.3 %, while enhancing subsoil (20–40 cm) moisture content by 9.0 percentage points, confirming its function as an in-situ water reservoir. Field results identified Treatment 5 (Localized 30 kg ha⁻¹ hydrogel + 50 % P/K) as the optimal configuration, producing stable and significant wheat yield increases of 23.32–27.05 % across all sites compared with the control. Importantly, this precision-based method achieved 50 % fertilizer savings and 57 % reduction in hydrogel use compared to conventional broadcast application, achieving both economic efficiency and ecological sustainability. Overall, the localized subsurface co-application system establishes a new benchmark for dryland agriculture, offering a climate-resilient, input-efficient, and scalable technological platform for enhancing water use efficiency and sustaining food production under water-limited conditions.

Keywords

Hydrogel , dryland farming , localized application , water use efficiency , wheat yield.

Supporting Institution

Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan under Program BR21882218

Thanks

This study was made possible through the financial support of the Science Committee of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan under Program BR21882218. The authors express their sincere appreciation to the external collaborators and institutional partners whose expertise and assistance were instrumental to the success of this research. Special thanks are extended to Mr. M.P. Zhazykhbaev of RSE “Kazhydromet” for providing comprehensive agroclimatic data, and to Mr. M.M. Atyomov of LLP “Republican Soil Center” for conducting the detailed agrochemical soil fertility analyses. We are also deeply grateful to the farm heads — Ms. M.K. Aytubaeva (Farm “Aytubay”), Mr. T.E. Baibolov (PC “Elubay-Kuat”), and Mr. S.T. Shyrynkulov (Samat-TS LLP) — for their invaluable cooperation and technical support during the field trials assessing the hydrogel mixture and its effects on grain crop growth and productivity.

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