An environmental friendly superabsorbent composite based on rice husk as soil amendment to improve plant growth and water productivity under deficit irrigation conditions

Abstract

An environmental friendly superabsorbent composite (SAC) based on rice, (Oriza sativa L.), husk was created by the scientific group at Faculty of Science, Tanta University, and City of Scientific Research and Technological Applications (SRTA-City), Egypt. SAC was tested for its ability to improve soil water retention, control the release of urea, and its biodegradability in soil. The effect of SAC on sweet pepper, Capsicum annuum, productivity under severe deficit irrigation conditions was studied. Doses of irrigation water representing percentage ∼16.7, 11.9, 7.1, and 2.4 of the actual crop water requirements (CWR) were tested in soil treated with 0.25, 0.50, 0.75, and 1.00 wt% SAC. The tested SAC lost ∼60% of its weight in 150 days. Soil water retention and urea release rates were improved plant growth in response to the addition of SAC. Application of ∼11.9% of CWR with 1.00 wt% SAC resulted in significantly better crop production than other treatments without SAC. This could annually save about 154.44 million cubic meters (MCM) to be directed for horizontal expansion and improve food security.

Keywords:

• Environmental-friendly
• hydrogel
• On-farm management
• plant growth
• water-saving

Acknowledgments

We are thankful to the Department of Land and Water Technologies, Arid Lands Cultivation Research Institute, City of Scientific Research and Technological Applications (SRTA-City), Alexandria, Egypt, and the Department of Chemistry, Polymer Research Group, Faculty of Science, Tanta University, Tanta, Egypt.

Conflict of interest

No conflict of interest was reported by the authors.