Injectable co-polymers: A tool for soil moisture management

摘要

Polymers have been used as soil amendments in agriculture for several decades. Some polymer chemistries are specialized for improving soil moisture distribution uniformity, while others are specialized for improving soil water retention. In this study, we combined two distinct polymers to provide both functions, and applied them to newly-transplanted Valencia oranges to evaluate their effects on soil moisture and plant health. Application of the co-polymer resulted in increases in tree height and trunk diameter in 2016 and 2017. Sap flow sensors indicated that a treated tree receiving the same amount of irrigation used approximately 30% more water throughout the 2017 growing season, indicating an increase in irrigation efficiency. Soil moisture datafrom 2017 show that the co-polymer resulted in more moisture at 12" (30 cm) and 24" (61 cm) depths. The results of this study provide evidence that co-polymers can be useful tools for soil moisture management, allowing growers to either decrease irrigation amounts or increase water-use efficiency with similar inputs. The co-polymer system investigated in this study may be especially useful to growers due to its ease of application through various types of irrigation systems.