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Structure and functioning of water‐storing agricultural polyacrylamides
Author(s) -
Johnson Michael S.,
Veltkamp Cornelis J.
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
journal of the science of food and agriculture
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.782
H-Index - 142
eISSN - 1097-0010
pISSN - 0022-5142
DOI - 10.1002/jsfa.2740360905
Subject(s) - absorption of water , agriculture , moisture , environmental science , crop , pulp and paper industry , agronomy , agricultural engineering , materials science , biology , engineering , composite material , ecology
New polyacrylamides have been developed to improve the storage capability and the efficiency by which plants use water in agriculture and horticulture. These products are particularly useful where water is scarce or expensive and where drought is a significant hazard in crop production. However, there is considerable variation in the water absorption and release capabilities of different products that is explained by manufacturing conditions. Scanning electron microscopy shows that high performance products have a cellular structure in the expanded condition, with plant‐available moisture stored both in enclosed vacuoles and within the polymer framework. The bridges that comprise the structure of the gel control water release under drying conditions and optimise recovery of the stored water by plants.