Effect of Bio- and Synthetic- Polymers on Enhancing Soil Physical Properties and Lettuce Plant Production

Most of new reclaimed soils in Egypt are light to medium in texture. They are mainly poor in physical and hydro-physical soil quality such as porosity, water retention capacity and available water content. The objective is to assess some bio-polymers and synthetic polymers to test their effects on the soil physical and hydro-physical properties and on Lettuce plant production.

Seven treatments were applied using bio-polymers (2%dextran, 3%alginate and 3% xanthan) and two synthetic polymers (2 and 3% polyacrylamide and 2 and 3% diaper). These polymers were cheeked for their efficiency in enhancing soil properties of Toshka soil and the growth performance of Lettuce plant (Lactuca sativa) grown in soil for 55 days under open field conditions was considered.

Fresh and dry weights of plant and nutrient contents were increased significantly with all bio-treatments amendment. Whereas, synthetic polymers caused negative effects on the previously mentioned parameters.

Concerning the effects on soil properties, dextran treatment recorded the lowest values of total drainable pores (TDP %), the highest values of porosity (%), and available water. Whereas, the synthetic polymers amended soil attained negative effect with all these measured parameters compared with control treatment.

The study declared beneficial order of enhancement of soil physical and hydro-physical properties and plant production as obtained with Dextran, followed by Alginate, and Xanthan bio-polymers, while synthetic polymers did not show such effects. Hence, the study recommend using bio- polymers instead of synthetic polymers.