Field response of corn and cotton to a cotton linter based superabsorbent polymer in salt affected sierozem under arid irrigation

Gulnara Tastanbekova; Abdugani Azimov; Zhenisbek Abdraimov; Zhanybek Akbar; Marat Atemov; Gulfairuz Beisenova; Amangeldy Abilov; Zhainagul Yertayeva

doi:10.18393/ejss.2016819

Field response of corn and cotton to a cotton linter based superabsorbent polymer in salt affected sierozem under arid irrigation

Abstract

Water scarcity and soil salinity jointly constrain irrigated crop production in the arid regions of Central Asia. This field study evaluated an experimental cotton-linter-based superabsorbent polymer (SAP) as a soil amendment for corn and cotton grown in salt-affected sierozem in Otyrar District, southern Kazakhstan, during 2025. The SAP was produced by grafting acrylic acid onto purified cotton linter, with sodium hydroxide as the neutralizing agent, ammonium persulfate as the initiator, and N,N′-methylenebisacrylamide as the crosslinker. Corn and cotton formed the main plots, and SAP rates of 0, 30, 40, and 50 kg ha⁻¹ formed the subplots in a split-plot randomized complete block design with four blocks. The polymer was incorporated into the seed zone at sowing. Seasonal rainfall was only 12.3 mm, while soil electrical conductivity increased from 3.2 dS m⁻¹ at 0–20 cm to 5.1 dS m⁻¹ at 80–100 cm. Across the tested rate range, crop establishment, yield components, marketable yield, and irrigation water productivity increased progressively with SAP application. Corn grain yield rose from 2.69 Mg ha⁻¹ in the control to 3.60, 5.40, and 6.30 Mg ha⁻¹ at 30, 40, and 50 kg ha⁻¹, respectively; corresponding irrigation water productivity increased from 0.60 to 1.40 kg m⁻³. Seed-cotton yield increased from 2.90 to 4.20, 4.99, and 5.46 Mg ha⁻¹, while irrigation water productivity increased from 0.29 to 0.55 kg m⁻³. Lint percentage remained nearly unchanged, indicating that higher lint yield primarily reflected improved stand establishment and boll production. Post-harvest soil bulk density varied little among SAP rates, with within-depth differences generally not exceeding 0.02 g cm⁻³. Thus, the short-term agronomic response was substantially greater than the measured structural response. Yield, yield-component, and irrigation-water-productivity responses to hydrogel rate were statistically significant (P < 0.05) based on split-plot analysis of variance across four field blocks. The findings provide field evidence that cotton-linter-based SAP can improve corn and cotton productivity under arid, saline–alkaline conditions; multi-season trials, soil-water monitoring, economic evaluation, and full polymer characterization are still required before an optimum rate or long-term environmental performance can be established.

Keywords

Supporting Institution

Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan

Project Number

BR24993129

Thanks

The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support provided by the Science Committee of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan under Grant No. BR24993129, entitled “Development of a biodegradable thermosensitive hydrogel capable of absorbing, retaining, and regulating the release of moisture.” The authors would also like to thank the anonymous reviewers for their valuable comments and constructive suggestions, which significantly contributed to the improvement of the manuscript.

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Soil Sciences and Plant Nutrition (Other)

Journal Section

Research Article

Authors

Gulnara Tastanbekova This is me
0000-0003-3532-5852
Kazakhstan

Abdugani Azimov This is me
0000-0002-1316-5854
Kazakhstan

Zhenisbek Abdraimov This is me
0009-0002-1875-1569
Kazakhstan

Zhanybek Akbar This is me
0009-0002-6433-7959
Kazakhstan

Marat Atemov This is me
0009-0005-0618-8619
Kazakhstan

Gulfairuz Beisenova This is me
0000-0002-1849-9554
Kazakhstan

Amangeldy Abilov This is me
0009-0003-7697-5445
Kazakhstan

Zhainagul Yertayeva ^*
0000-0001-8848-6794
Kazakhstan

Publication Date

October 5, 2026

Submission Date

April 12, 2026

Acceptance Date

August 12, 2026

Published in Issue

Year 2026 Volume: 15 Number: 4

DOI

https://doi.org/10.18393/ejss.2016819

IZ

https://izlik.org/JA73HZ44AS

Cite

RIS / Bibtex

APA

Tastanbekova, G., Azimov, A., Abdraimov, Z., Akbar, Z., Atemov, M., Beisenova, G., Abilov, A., & Yertayeva, Z. (2026). Field response of corn and cotton to a cotton linter based superabsorbent polymer in salt affected sierozem under arid irrigation. Eurasian Journal of Soil Science, 15(4), 609-618. https://doi.org/10.18393/ejss.2016819

AMA

1.Tastanbekova G, Azimov A, Abdraimov Z, et al. Field response of corn and cotton to a cotton linter based superabsorbent polymer in salt affected sierozem under arid irrigation. EJSS. 2026;15(4):609-618. doi:10.18393/ejss.2016819

Chicago

Tastanbekova, Gulnara, Abdugani Azimov, Zhenisbek Abdraimov, et al. 2026. “Field Response of Corn and Cotton to a Cotton Linter Based Superabsorbent Polymer in Salt Affected Sierozem under Arid Irrigation”. Eurasian Journal of Soil Science 15 (4): 609-18. https://doi.org/10.18393/ejss.2016819.

EndNote

Tastanbekova G, Azimov A, Abdraimov Z, Akbar Z, Atemov M, Beisenova G, Abilov A, Yertayeva Z (October 1, 2026) Field response of corn and cotton to a cotton linter based superabsorbent polymer in salt affected sierozem under arid irrigation. Eurasian Journal of Soil Science 15 4 609–618.

IEEE

[1]G. Tastanbekova et al., “Field response of corn and cotton to a cotton linter based superabsorbent polymer in salt affected sierozem under arid irrigation”, EJSS, vol. 15, no. 4, pp. 609–618, Oct. 2026, doi: 10.18393/ejss.2016819.

ISNAD

Tastanbekova, Gulnara - Azimov, Abdugani - Abdraimov, Zhenisbek - Akbar, Zhanybek - Atemov, Marat - Beisenova, Gulfairuz - Abilov, Amangeldy - Yertayeva, Zhainagul. “Field Response of Corn and Cotton to a Cotton Linter Based Superabsorbent Polymer in Salt Affected Sierozem under Arid Irrigation”. Eurasian Journal of Soil Science 15/4 (October 1, 2026): 609-618. https://doi.org/10.18393/ejss.2016819.

JAMA

1.Tastanbekova G, Azimov A, Abdraimov Z, Akbar Z, Atemov M, Beisenova G, Abilov A, Yertayeva Z. Field response of corn and cotton to a cotton linter based superabsorbent polymer in salt affected sierozem under arid irrigation. EJSS. 2026;15:609–618.

MLA

Tastanbekova, Gulnara, et al. “Field Response of Corn and Cotton to a Cotton Linter Based Superabsorbent Polymer in Salt Affected Sierozem under Arid Irrigation”. Eurasian Journal of Soil Science, vol. 15, no. 4, Oct. 2026, pp. 609-18, doi:10.18393/ejss.2016819.

Vancouver

1.Gulnara Tastanbekova, Abdugani Azimov, Zhenisbek Abdraimov, Zhanybek Akbar, Marat Atemov, Gulfairuz Beisenova, Amangeldy Abilov, Zhainagul Yertayeva. Field response of corn and cotton to a cotton linter based superabsorbent polymer in salt affected sierozem under arid irrigation. EJSS. 2026 Oct. 1;15(4):609-18. doi:10.18393/ejss.2016819