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Excessive evaporative loss of water from the topsoil in arid-land agricultureis compensated via irrigation, which exploits massive freshwater resources. Thecumulative effects of decades of unsustainable freshwater consumption in manyarid regions are now threatening food-water security. While plastic mulches canreduce evaporation from the topsoil, their cost and non-biodegradability limittheir utility. In response, we report on superhydrophobic sand (SHS), abio-inspired enhancement of common sand with a nanoscale wax coating. When SHSwas applied as a 5 mm-thick mulch over the soil, evaporation dramaticallyreduced and crop yields increased. Multi-year field trials of SHS applicationwith tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), barley (Hordeum vulgare), and wheat(Triticum aestivum) under normal irrigation enhanced yields by 17%-73%. Underbrackish water irrigation (5500 ppm NaCl), SHS mulching produced 53%-208%higher fruit yield and grain gains for tomato and barley. Thus, SHS couldbenefit agriculture and city-greening in arid regions.

Superhydrophobic sand mulches increase agricultural productivity in arid regions