The Effect of Different Levels of Superabsorbent Polymer and Water Salinity on Soil Moisture Retention

• Main Authors: Rousta, Mohammad Javad, Soltani, Vali, Ghane, Fatemeh, Besharat, Nadia, Meshkat, Mohammad Ali
• Format: Publication
• Language: Persian
• Published: National- Yazd (Iran) National Salinity Research Center 2013
• Subjects: AGUA; EAU; POLIMEROS; POLYMERE; POLYMERS; SALINIDAD; SALINITE; SALINITY; SOIL; SOL; SUELO; WATER

A pot experiment was carried out as a factorial in completely randomized design with superabsorbent polymer (A200) at 0 (control), 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 g/kg soil as the first factor and different levels of salinity including 0 (tap water), 3, 6, 9, 12 and 15 dS/m as the second factor and a total of 108 pots containing 2 kg soil. The pots were irrigated in a periods of 10 days for 8 times according to FC-PWP and leaching Requirement equal to 20% of used irrigation water. The salts used for salinity production were NaCl and CaCl2 as ratio of 1:1. Ten days after final irrigation, the soil moisture was determinated by the weighting of pots. Further, measuring of the soil moisture continued in a periods of 7 days for 6 times. In the end of experiment, the EC of drainage water were measured. Analysis of variance showed that the effect of super absorbent, salinity and these interactions on soil moisture and salinity of drainage water was significant at P0.01. Using values of 20, 40 and 60 g kg super absorbent soil, average soil moisture content increased from 19.56 percent in control treatment to 25.43, 33.33 and 36.70 percent, respectively. Also, salinity of drainage water decreased from 58.40 dS/m in control to 30.26, 23.16 and 22.26 dS/m, respectively. According to the results, super absorbent polymers application, when irrigation water is saline, is not recommended and mixture application of this polymer with organic matter is suggested. Key words: Superabsorbent polymer, Water salinity, Soil moisture