Sustaining plant growth against extreme soil conditions with optimized eco-friendly microgel formulations

Abstract

With only 10.8% of the world’s land currently arable, increasing global food demand due to population growth underscores the need for expanding arable land. Sandy soils, which dominate desert regions covering approximately 33% of Earth's surface, present a major challenge for agriculture due to poor water retention and limited nutrient availability. This project investigates the potential of eco-friendly calcium-cross-linked carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and alginate-based microgels as soil amendments to enhance the water retention and nutrient properties of sandy soils.

Seedlings of F85 Lettuce, Caixin, F1 Spinach, and Xiao Bai Cai were cultivated with varying concentrations of microgels (0.1–0.5% w/w) to assess growth parameters such as plant height, leaf length, chlorophyll content, and biomass. Results demonstrate that the microgels substantially enhance water retention and nutrient availability, boosting growth and survivability for certain species, especially under drought conditions. However, variations in species responses suggest the potential to fine-tune microgel dosages for different crops.

This study underscores the viability of CMC/alginate microgels in overcoming the limitations of sandy soils, offering a sustainable approach to agricultural expansion in arid regions. Future research will explore the scalability of this approach, emphasizing the critical role of tailored solutions in addressing global food security. The research highlights the transformative potential of innovative soil amendments in meeting the challenges of modern agriculture.