Abstract
Anti-pathogenic protection of potatoes remains one of the most pressing problems of sustainable agronomy and plant protection. For this purpose, we propose to use a new type of synthetic hydrogels filled with amphiphilic recipients (dispersed peat, humates) and modern plant protection products. We assumed that the introduction of swollen gel structures into the rhizosphere of potatoes will allow us: to optimize the water supply and productivity of potatoes; to protect the fertile layer and potato tubers from the main pathogens; to fix modern plant protection products in the rhizosphere, keeping them from leaching and entering the environment. Preliminary laboratory experiments tested the anti-microbial activity of gel structures, as well as their water retention, dispersity and hydraulic conductivity with subsequent computer modeling of the water exchange and root uptake in the system of “soil-gel-potato”. Field trials were carried out in humid (European Russia) and arid (Uzbekistan) conditions under the atmospheric precipitation and irrigation on different soils and potato varieties with instrumental monitoring of environment, potato growth and quality. All experimental results confirmed the high efficiency of water-accumulative and plant protective synthetic gel structures. Their usage sufficiently (up to 6–15 t/hct) increases the potato yield with 1.3–2 times water saving, complete retention of agrochemicals in the rizosphere, and its actually total protection against major potato pathogens, including late blight (Phytophthora infestans).
Highlights
Anti-pathogenic protection of potatoes remains one of the most pressing problems of sustainable agronomy and plant protection
As the controlled-release formulations, we offer combined polymer-adsorbent SGS based on acrylic hydrogels filled with amphiphilic solid-phase components, trace elements and modern plant protection products (PPP) in the form of silver ions, nanoparticles, and synthetic azoxystrobin fungicide
In the Russian Federation, annual potato crop losses are about 20–30% depending on the cultivar, and in some years exceed 50% caused by similar pathogenic agents[8]
Summary
Anti-pathogenic protection of potatoes remains one of the most pressing problems of sustainable agronomy and plant protection. One of the promising trends here is the development of agrochemical delivery systems to reduce pollution and health hazards[1,2,3] In such a system, a pesticide, fertilizer or other bioactive agent is incorporated into a carrier, generally a polymeric material or a solid-phase adsorbent. It is often affected by pathogens www.nature.com/scientificreports that inhabit the rhizosphere, resulting in great yield damage, especially on farms and seed nurseries where row crops in the form of tubers and root vegetables are cultivated year after year without rotation[7]. This publication summarizes the main results of a 3-year long project developing and experimentally testing a new controlled-release system with synthetic gel carriers to protect and improve potato rhizospheres in humid (European territory of Russia) and arid (Uzbekistan) conditions under atmospheric precipitation, drip and furrow irrigation
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