title: Effects of a novel poly (AA-co-AAm)/AlZnFe₂O₄/potassium humate superabsorbent hydrogel nanocomposite on water retention of sandy loam soil and wheat seedling growth.
abstract: A novel poly(acrylic acid-co-acrylamide)AlZnFe₂O₄/potassium humate( )superabsorbent hydrogel nanocomposite (PHNC) was synthesized and its physical properties characterized using SEM, Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX) and FTIR spectroscopic techniques. Air dried sandy loam soil was amended with 0.1 to 0.4 w/w% of PHNC to evaluate its soil moisture retention attributes. Effect of PHNC amendment on pH, electrical conductivity (EC), porosity, bulk density and hydraulic conductivity of sandy loam soil was also studied. The soil amendment with 0.1 to 0.4 w/w% of PHNC remarkably enhanced the moisture retention at field capacity as compared to the un-amended soils. Seed germination and seedling growth of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) was considerably increased and a delay by 6-9 days in wilting of seedlings was observed in the soil amended with PHNC, resulting in improved wheat plant establishment and growth.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad 38040, Pakistan. shaukatuafpy@uaf.edu.pk
authors.forename: Shaukat Ali
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Shahid
authors.forename: Ansar Ahmad
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Qidwai
authors.forename: Farooq
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Anwar
authors.forename: Inam
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ullah
authors.forename: Umer
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Rashid
mesh_terms: D000042:Absorption; D000178:Acrylamides / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry*; D000383:Agriculture; D000535:Aluminum / Q000737:chemistry; D004553:Electric Conductivity; D018525:Germination; D006812:Humic Substances; D020100:Hydrogels / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry*; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; D007501:Iron / Q000737:chemistry; D053761:Nanocomposites / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010087:Oxides / Q000737:chemistry; D016062:Porosity; D036226:Seedlings / Q000254:growth & development*; D012987:Soil / Q000737:chemistry*; D013046:Specific Gravity; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; D014908:Triticum / Q000254:growth & development*; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry*; D015032:Zinc / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D000178:Acrylamides; D006812:Humic Substances; D020100:Hydrogels; D010087:Oxides; D012987:Soil; D014867:Water; D000535:Aluminum; D007501:Iron; D015032:Zinc