SYNTHESIS, CHARACTERIZATION, AND AGRICULTURAL APPLICATION OF BIOPOLYMER BASED ORGANIC HYDROGEL

Abstract

The sustainable and increased agronomical production has headed the need for more conservative usage of water, which in turn necessitates research in the development of innovative soil-water conditioning alternatives with a lower rate of application and boosted water availability to the plants. Eyeing at the prospects of the necessity of a continuous reliant water supply for agronomy, that follows a greener approach; demands less money, time, and labour; requires low maintenance, and aids in enhanced growth rate and high crop yields. The aim of the research is the synthesis of an innovative biodegradable carboxymethyl tamarind Gum (CMTKG) based hydrogels, that can fulfil the above agricultural challenges and sustains the crops for a longer time with lesser frequent water supply, reinforcing the environmentally friendly methodology of water conservation. Further, it also targets the effect of hydrogel amendment on different physical and applicable attributes of different types of soil. The first type of innovative biopolymer-based organic hydrogels was concocted by free radical polymerization of carboxymethyl tamarind kernel gum (CMTKG) and sodium-methacrylate (SMA) for application in agronomical procedures as a soil water conditioner/water harvester for sustainable agronomy. The second avant-garde organic agricultural hydrogel was formulated by free-radical polymerization of biopolymer carboxymethyl Tamarind Kernel Gum (CMTKG) and sodium acrylate (SA) and acrylamide (AA) monomers, to explore its application to different types of soils as a soil water conditioner. The structural morphologies of both the hydrogels were characterized by techniques viz. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis. The hydrogels were evidenced as biodegradable hydrogel via the soil burial biodegradability test. The swelling behaviour of hydrogel was analysed as a function of temperature, pH, and salt solutions. Maximum water holding capacity, bulk density, porosity, and water retention capacity of soil were assessed to examine the effects on the soil by the hydrogel amendment. To maximize the utility, the implication of one of the hydrogel's agricultural dynamics has been researched on different types of soil for its precise application.