DefinePK

Abstract

ABSTRACT Synthetic polyacrylamide polymers are water storing, gel forming soil conditioners, used to improve the water storing capacities of the drought-prone soils and to improve the supplies of plant available water, thus helping in better plant establishment and growth. The effects of polyacrylamide co-plymers on germination and growth were investigated in this study. The polymer was mixed with dune sand at different percentage by weight and soil-hydrogel mixtures were saturated with saline solutions prepared by mixing NaCl at different proportions in deionized water after sowing seeds of three different species. Germination and growth were recorded. Both growth parameters responded positively to the addition of polymer, and negatively to the salt concentration in saturating solutions. A variation was also observed between the species.