The use of hydrogel reduces water stress and improves yield in the cultivation of purple corn

Abstract

One of the problems in agriculture today is the scarcity of water available for crops. The aim of the research was to evaluate the use of a hydrogel (plantagel with a composition of 96% non-toxic potassium polyacrylate) in the water stress of the PMV-581 purple corn crop and evaluate its development and performance. The treatments were at three doses of 50, 70, 90 kg ha-1 of hydrogel (plantagel) and a control without hydrogel application, the results indicate the T0 control treatment. Treatment T1 (with 12 irrigations and 50 kg ha-1 of hydrogel) and T2 (with 10 irrigations and 70 kg ha-1 of hydrogel) require the greatest number of irrigations (with 15 irrigations and without hydrogel application) and T3 (with 8 irrigations and 90 kg ha-1 of hydrogel) T3 obtained the highest yield of 6.50 t ha-1, with a water table of 1500.84 m3, lower than the rest of the treatments, concluding that the Hydrogel influences soil moisture retention and its effect is expressed in the yield of purple corn. These results provide valuable information that the use of hydrogel (plantagel) could be effectively applied as a soil additive to alleviate drought stress in purple corn cultivation.