An Investigation on the prospects of hydrogels in maize production under water deficit conditions: a case of Rushinga district
- Author
- Chamukwira, Leeroy K.
- Title
- An Investigation on the prospects of hydrogels in maize production under water deficit conditions: a case of Rushinga district
- Abstract
-
Hydrogels are polymeric materials with the ability to absorb and retain large amounts of water, making them a promising soil amendment for improving water availability and crop productivity. In this study, we investigated the effects of incorporating hydrogel into the soil on the growth and yield parameters of maize (Zea mays L.) under water deficit conditions. A field experiment was conducted over two treatments (Treatment A and Treatment B) in which maize was grown with and without the application of hydrogel at same concentrations. Plant height, leaf length, and grain yield were measured at various growth stages. The results showed that the addition of hydrogel significantly improved all the growth and yield parameters of maize compared to the control treatment. Maize plants grown with hydrogel exhibited greater plant heights, with up to a 15% increase compared to the control. Leaf length was also enhanced, with the hydrogel treatment resulting in leaves that were 10-20% longer than the leaves of the control plants. Most importantly, grain yield was increased by 18-22% in the hydrogel-amended plots relative to the untreated plots. These findings suggest that the use of hydrogel as a soil amendment has the potential to enhance maize productivity by improving water availability and nutrient retention in the root zone. Further research is needed to optimize the application rate and method of hydrogel incorporation to maximize the benefits for maize and other cereal crops. Overall, this study provides evidence that hydrogel technology can be a valuable tool for improving the sustainability and resilience of maize production systems in draught conditions.
- Date
- June 2025
- Publisher
- BUSE
- Keywords
- Hydrogels
- Maize production
- Supervisor
- Professor Mandumbu
- Mr Chikasha
- Item sets
- Department of Crop Sciences
- Media
-
Chamukwira - Crop.pdf