Sugarcane Bagasse and Nano-zeolite based Slow Release Fe Fertiliser Hydrogel: Its Synthesis and Characterization

Abstract

Background: Iron (Fe) is an essential micronutrient that plays numerous vital functions in crop growth and development. This study was carried out to synthesise and characterize sugarcane bagasse and nano-zeolite based slow release Fe fertiliser hydrogel. Methods: At the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University in Coimbatore, a laboratory experiment was carried out to synthesize and characterise a slow release Fe fertiliser (SR Fe) hydrogel encompassing sugarcane bagasse and nano-zeolite. A slow-release Fe fertiliser was successfully created using the graft co-polymerization method. The chemical composition and surface morphology of the synthesised slow-release Fe fertiliser were characterised using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), FTIR, and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Result: SEM results show the evenly distributed pore space, and EDX data show that the superabsorbent nanocomposite was successfully loaded with fertiliser Fe. The grafting of acrylate-based monomers onto starch molecules, the incorporation of nano zeolite into the polymeric matrix, and the loading of Fe nutrition into the hydrogel network were all effective, according to the results of the FTIR analysis. The superabsorbent nanocomposite's temperature stability was demonstrated by the TGA research findings. The current study's findings demonstrated that the SR Fe fertiliser was successfully synthesised and may be regarded as the most promising option for slowly delivering nutrients to crops in order to meet their nutrient needs and improve nutrient use efficiency.