Rainfed Agriculture

Rainwater is the key to most of the farming practices followed worldwide, especially in Asian and African subcontinent for regular water need and supply, reason being its purity and naturality. Lakes, Reservoirs, Ponds, Irrigational Canals mostly rely on rainfall and regarded as the only sources of water supply for maximum farmers around the world. In fact, it is believed that a good rainfall ensures maximum crop harvesting and production, increasing monetary benefits and optimal food security.

About three-fourth of the crops that grow across the world are rain dependent

Surface water, considered as reservoir of rain water gets contaminated due to the presence of vulnerable environmental variants like weeds, micro-organisms, bacteria, etc. which mostly harm the health of the crop rather than saving it. Higher rate of evaporation leads to drying up of ponds, wells, lakes and other stagnant water bodies which coherently hamper the water requirement post rainfall but the hardest truth is, maximum farmer still depends on or have to depend upon these contaminated water sources for irrigation purposes. To avoid the attack of these contaminants, they are bound to use various chemicals and pesticides which helps them to temporarily remove those offenders but in return leaves toxic residues which may permanently spoil the texture and longevity of the soil. Hence Science and Technology developed a unique yet fruitful idea of Polyacrylate based Super Absorbent Polymer which helps the farmers to be relatively less dependent on surface water.

Looking at the properties that super absorbent polymer possesses:

• High absorbing ability even in hard water conditions: Super Absorbent Polymer have high water retaining capacity and even in extreme conditions can hold water molecules for a long period of time.
• Low soluble content and residual monomer: These polymers have maximum active substance content and very minimum soluble content which makes them very ideal for use in agro industries.
• Reusability: These polymers can be reused whenever it shrinks down which benefits the consumers both in terms of monetary benefits and product satisfaction.
• Non-polluting and Biodegradable: Super Absorbent Polymer does not leave any toxic residue on application field nor have any polluting content in its composition.

Super Absorbent Polymer granules gets mixed up between soil particles and when comes in contact with water molecule, swells up forming water beads or crystals. These crystals release water to keep the surrounding conditions moist whenever the same starts drying up and the best part about using this polymer is it can be reused. Now, if these polymer granules are spread over the agricultural field just before the start of rainy season, the additional water can be stored by these granules and release according to crops requirement. This will help in two ways, water drainage will be less and the frequent requirement of surface water will reduce.

Hydrogel, a super absorbent polymer has a cross-linking molecular structure with a hydrophilic group attached to it which absorbs water times of its own weight and acts as a replicated small reservoir of water. Hydrogel can be used to trap rain water which can be released later at the time of requirement over longer durations. This polymer has the ability to absorb nutrients from the soil which are utilized by plants for carrying out various physiological processes. One of the major advantages of hydrogel is that it can be used on a wide variety of soils. Water Hydrogel polymer does not alter the chemical composition of soils on which it is applied, nor does it impair the action of applied biocides viz. fertilizers, herbicides, fungicides, insecticides, etc.

Alsta Hydrogel, potassium polyacrylate based super absorbent polymer for agriculture manufactured by Chemtex Speciality Ltd meets the standard needs & requirement of the agricultural sectors.

For more information, Visit http://www.hydrogelagriculture.com