Effect of Different Soil Treatments with Hydrogel on the Performance of Drought-Sensitive and Tolerant Tree Species in a Semi-Arid Region

Abstract

Research Highlights: Although a number of forestry studies have found that hydrogel improves tree performance, studies that are located in semi-arid regions and that include a broad spectrum of tree species and the assessment of multiple physiological traits are lacking. Background and Objectives: The objective of the current study was to evaluate the effects of hydrogel treatments (with sawdust, organic fertilizer, compost, wheat straw, subsoil, or subsoil with a cobble cover) applied during planting on the survival, growth, and physiological traits of 20 tree species. Materials and Methods: In a field experiment (factorial design with seven treatments including a control, 20 species, and ten replicates) in a semi-arid part of Iran, we applied water alone (control) or water with hydrogel and other materials to recently planted samplings. We evaluated tree height, health, osmotic potential, and biochemical properties after 6 months and survival after 12 months. Results: Hydrogel treatment (regardless of other material) significantly improved the performance of drought-sensitive but not of drought-tolerant species. Conclusions: The benefits of hydrogel treatment are substantial for drought-sensitive species but are insignificant for drought-resistant species.

The Use of Soil Conditioners to Ensure a Sustainable Wheat Yield under Water Deficit Conditions by Enhancing the Physiological and Antioxidant Potentials

“…Soil conditioners significantly reduce the production of proline, which is attributed to a better supply of moisture in water stress. Similarly, Tomášková et al [35] found that amending the soil with superabsorbent polymers helped to reduce the proline concentration, which rose as a consequence of water stress. The use of biochar also aided in the decrease of drought stress and the formation of proline, which was elevated due to the limited water supply.…”

“…Batool et al [26] also concluded that biochar played an important role as a soil amendment material and enhanced the photosynthetic rate, transpiration rate, and stomatal conductance due to an improved soil moisture retention capability and porosity of the modified soil. The improvement in the gas exchange parameters in crops could be due to the increased soil nutrients and water status with the biochar addition even under moisture stress conditions [35].…”

The Synergic Effect of Whey-Based Hydrogel Amendment on Soil Water Holding Capacity and Availability of Nutrients for More Efficient Valorization of Dairy By-Products

“…Due to their properties, they have been widely used in various fields ranging from industry and tissue engineering to pharmacy, medicine, cosmetics, and grocery [7]. Hydrogels are also widely utilized in forestry [8], reclamation [9], and agriculture where their good water retention and slow-release capacity showed promising results for the improvement of soil properties, reduction of fertilizer loss [10,11], or ameliorative advance fertilization [3].…”

“…Numerous studies have reported the potential for increasing water retention properties after the use of synthetic polyacrylicacid [15] and polyacrylamide [16] hydrogel with a proven large capacity for water retention [8,15]. These acrylate-based products have been successfully used as soil conditioners to increase water holding capacity or nutrient retention of soils during practical agricultural testing [17][18][19].…”

Production of Bacterial Cellulose by Komagataeibacter xylinus InaCC B404 using Different Carbon Sources

“…Various strategies have been proposed to overcome the effect of low water availability on marginal land. Due to its effectivity and efficiency, the application of hydrogel have attracted attention worldwide and has been the subject of intensive study in order to cope with the problem of water scarcity on drought land [1][2][3]. A hydrogel is composed of hydrophilic polymeric materials that have the capability to hold a large amount of water in their three-dimensional networks.…”