The influence of Aquasorb on soil moisture and some morphophysiological properties in maize crop

Abstract

The influence of Aquasorb on soil moisture and some morpho-physiological properties (average plant height and leaf chlorophyll content) was studied in maize cultures. Aquasorb is a copolymer of acrylamide and potassium acrylate, which works in absorption-desorption cycles of water and nutrients. During humid periods, it significantly increases its volume, becoming largely expanded, and during droughts it releases water and plant nutrients. In the global climate change context, agrotechnical problems such as water retention in the soil are becoming more and more frequent and, therefore, the use of a hydrogel can be a measure with beneficial implications for the agricultural sector. The experiment was carried out in vegetation vessels with a volume of 6 l, in which four variants were placed: V1 (control, untreated) and V2 (treated with 20 kg ha-1 of Aquasorb) under normal climatic conditions and variants V3 (without treatment) and V4 (treated with 20 kg ha-1 of Aquasorb), which were subject to water stress. It was induced by plants (in V3 and V4) by reducing the number of waterings by half compared to variants V1 and V2, from the 4-6 leaf stage in maize. The hydrogel treatment was performed at sowing depth (8-10 cm for maize), together with the application of complex fertilizer. The results showed that, in optimal humidity conditions, plants do not make use of the positive effect of the hydrogel, but in water stress conditions, Aquasorb is used in the agricultural sector, at least for maize crops, possibly for other crops.