Concerned about soil-water availability? Turn your soil into a sponge

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Concerned about soilwater availability? Turn your soil into a sponge!

ASOIL conditioner made from natural corn starch is now available to help efficiently manage crop-available water and nutrients, resulting in larger, more uniform plants and better yields.

Zeba from UPL is a soil enhancement, water and nutrient management technology with diverse applications in agriculture.

Originally developed by the US Department of Agriculture for use as a farming aid, this formulation has been extensively trialled in many different crops around the world.

Typically applied as a dry granule but also available in powder form, it is compatible with standard application equipment. A liquid fertilizer compatible formulation is also in the pipeline.

The granules work like a sponge, absorbing in excess of 400 times their original weight in water which is released back to plants as they need it. It is capable of holding and releasing

FIGURE 1: As moisture is drawn from the hydrogel by plant roots, the Zeba particles reduce in size, promoting water and oxygen movement in the soil to stimulate more vigorous root development

water over and over again through the growing season.

Binds with nutrients

Studies have shown that the product also binds with and releases water-soluble nutrients, keeping more fertiliser in the root zone for plants to use and reducing nutrient leaching.

Zeba increases a soils ability to aggregate, holding onto soil particles. This provides an increase in soil aeration, enabling microbes and plant roots to survive and flourish.

“We have seen clear data to support the ability of Zeba to reduce bulk density along with aggregation, and yet Zeba is able to hold soil moisture,” said Ian Cass, UPL.

This unique combination reduces soil water velocity which directly affects the way soil particles move within the soil profile. This in turn reduces leaching which increases the efficiency of nutrients as plants, and the soil matrix as a whole, take advantage of the conditioning benefits of Zeba.

Some soil conditioners reportedly increase the soils’ pore spaces to the detriment of the environment, where there is an increase of the water flow through to lower zones.

“Zeba is not in this category,” Ian said. “It maintains the soil structure around its zone of influence, reducing the natural tendencies of a soil to leach, yet aggregating soil to stabilise air pockets. This allows better root growth and increased microbial function.”

Since the product is based on corn starch, it has a very high carbon content and will, when broken down, revert to a substance which is a source of food for microbes. These microbes within the soil matrix increase and add to the soil aggregation properties while fixing and mineralising nutrients.

Sugarcane trials

“Data from trials in sugarcane in India and Brazil are very promising, showing increases in yield and CCS,” said Ian, “and we’re currently doing trial work to quantify the benefits in cane in Australia.”

“Zeba is showing promise in Australia not only as a means for improving water efficiency, but also for promoting faster emergence and increased stand establishment for higher-quality, higher-volume yields.”

Zeba is currently available from agricultural retailers.

2019