Influência da presença de polímeros hidroabsorventes na capacidade de retenção de água de um substrato.

Abstract

Soil water management by irrigation has been one of the most important factors to increase crop yield. To look for the economic viability of the process, the use of the several input, particularly of the water, should be done with high efficiency levels. The objective of this research was to evaluate the effect of the concentration of a hydrogel polymer on the water retention characteristics of a substract. Water retention curves were obtained for a mixture of sand with hydrogel polymer at 0%, 15%, 30% and 45% concentration to hydrogel polymer on substract. After saturation of the substract, the process of moisture measure began. It was verified that the water retention increased as the concentration of the hydrogel polymer in the substract increased. The hydrogel polymer, at 45% concentration, increased the water retention, by 136%, when compared to the substract without hydrogel polymer (control treatment), for matric potential the 10 cm.c.a.