Abstract
Background: Climate change is reshaping global weather patterns, presenting significant challenges for rain-fed agricultural regions that rely heavily on seasonal rainfall for crop irrigation. The increasing risk of droughts and water scarcity in arid and semi-arid regions underscores the critical role of water-absorbing polymers in agriculture, as they significantly enhance water retention and improve plant nutrient uptake. Grain production mainly relies on rainfall, and soil moisture content significantly affects both the quantity and quality of the harvest. Objective: This study aims to develop strategies for enhancing the productivity and grain yield of cereal crops in rain-fed agricultural conditions by utilizing environmentally safe hydrogel polymers of Armenian origin. Additionally, it seeks to evaluate the effects of these hydrogels on the qualitative indicators of grain as a functional food, and assess their impact on the incidence of fungal diseases and the associated risks. Methods: This study, conducted during 2022 and 2023, involved field experiments on winter wheat and spring barley. Seven variants, each replicated three times, were established to assess the impact of different doses of water-absorbing polymers (Aquasource at 50, 100, and 150 kg ha⁻¹, and Van at 500, 1000, and 1500 kg ha⁻¹) on grain crop productivity. Each variant, including a control where no polymers were used, was allocated a 30 m² area with 0.5 m spacing between plots. Results: The productivity analysis revealed a significant impact of water-absorbing polymers on the morphological characteristics and overall yield of winter wheat and spring barley. The most effective doses under rain-fed conditions were 100 kg ha-1 of Aquasource and 1000 kg ha-1 of Van. Chemical analysis of wheat grains revealed that using these polymers increased the concentrations of carbohydrates, proteins, and gluten, thereby enhancing the nutritional value and functionality of the grains. However, polymer applications were associated with increased Fusarium crown rot incidence, with higher disease occurrence observed in polymer-utilizing plots compared to the control. Additionally, polymer applications did not significantly influence the development of Fusarium head blight, largely due to its dependence on climatic conditions. Conclusion: The use of Aquasource and Van polymers enhances the efficiency indicators of the structural elements of spikes in winter wheat and spring barley. This promotes grain yield and improves grain quality by increasing the concentrations of protein, gluten, and carbohydrates in the grains, thereby enhancing their end-use quality as functional foods. Polymer applications were associated with an increased incidence of Fusarium crown rot, but they did not significantly influence the development of Fusarium head blight. Keywords: polymer, winter wheat, spring barley, productivity, functional food, disease.
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Claims 7
Claim · model-written summary
Polymers significantly affected morphology and yield of winter wheat and spring barley.
- Taxon
- winter wheat and spring barley
.jpg?width=60)
Hordeum vulgare
Triticum aestivume0 - Treatment
- water-absorbing polymerse0
- Outcome
- morphological characteristics and overall yielde0
Not reportedComparatorDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
.jpg?width=500)
Verbatim
e0“The productivity analysis revealed a significant impact of water-absorbing polymers on the morphological characteristics and overall yield of winter wheat and spring barley.”
Claim · model-written summary
Under rain-fed conditions, 100 kg ha-1 Aquasource was among the most effective doses.
Verbatim
e0“The most effective doses under rain-fed conditions were 100 kg ha-1 of Aquasource and 1000 kg ha-1 of Van.”
t0“grain crop”
Claim · model-written summary
Under rain-fed conditions, 1000 kg ha-1 Van was among the most effective doses.
Verbatim
e0“The most effective doses under rain-fed conditions were 100 kg ha-1 of Aquasource and 1000 kg ha-1 of Van.”
t0“grain crop”
Claim · model-written summary
Polymer use increased wheat grain carbohydrates, proteins, and gluten.
- Taxon
- wheatTriticum aestivume0
- Organ / stage
- grainse0
- Treatment
- these polymerse0
- Outcome
- concentrations of carbohydrates, proteins, and glutene0
- Direction
- increasede0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Chemical analysis of wheat grains revealed that using these polymers increased the concentrations of carbohydrates, proteins, and gluten”
Claim · model-written summary
Polymer plots had increased Fusarium crown rot incidence against controls.
- Taxon
- grain cropt0
- Treatment
- polymer applicationse0
- Outcome
- Fusarium crown rot incidencee0
- Direction
- increasede0
- Comparator
- the controle0
FusariumOrganisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“polymer applications were associated with increased Fusarium crown rot incidence, with higher disease occurrence observed in polymer-utilizing plots compared to the control.”
t0“grain crop”
Claim · model-written summary
Polymer applications did not significantly influence Fusarium head blight development.
- Taxon
- grain cropt0
- Treatment
- polymer applicationse0
- Outcome
- development of Fusarium head blighte0
- Direction
- did not significantly influencee0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“polymer applications did not significantly influence the development of Fusarium head blight”
t0“grain crop”
Claim · model-written summary
Aquasource and Van improved winter wheat and spring barley spike structural indicators.
- Taxon
- winter wheat and spring barleyHordeum vulgareTriticum aestivume0
- Organ / stage
- spikese0
- Treatment
- Aquasource and Van polymerse0
- Outcome
- efficiency indicators of the structural elements of spikese0
- Direction
- enhancese0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The use of Aquasource and Van polymers enhances the efficiency indicators of the structural elements of spikes in winter wheat and spring barley.”