Assessment of Water Retention Performance of Pectin-Based Nanocarriers for Controlled Irrigation in Agriculture

This paper describes synthesis and characterization of calcium-crosslinked nanocarriers of pectin biopolymer and examines their possible applications in controlled irrigation in agriculture. Nanocarriers were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy for structural characterization, while the size and surface morphology of the particles was studied by field emission scanning electron microscopy. The water sorption capacities of nanocarriers were investigated under the influence of various experimental factors such as varying amounts of biopolymer and crosslinker, different pH and temperatures of the swelling media. The capacity of the nanocarriers to retain imbibed water was judged by conducting their deswelling experiments. The so-prepared water-loaded nanocarriers were applied to soil, and soil pot experiments were conducted to see their water-releasing potential. Soil pot studies indicated that a judicious combination of soil with pectin-like hydrophilic polymers can be used in arid and semi-arid areas to enhance the drought tolerance of plants by providing sustained irrigation. The effect of different amounts of nanocarriers was studied to evaluate the moisture retention properties of the soil.