Nature-Inspired Superhydrophobic Sand Mulches Increase Agricultural Productivity and Water-Use Efficiency in Arid Regions

• DOI: 10.1021/acsagscitech.1c00148
• Publication Date: 2022-02-24T15:09:23Z
• Authors: Adair Gallo; Kennedy Odokonyero; Magdi A. A. Mousa; Joel Reihmer; Samir Al-Mashharawi; Ramona Marasco; Edelberto Manalastas; Mitchell J. L. Mo...; Daniele Daffonchio; Matthew F. McCabe; Mark Tester; Himanshu Mishra
• Keywords: Topsoil

Excessive evaporative loss of water from the topsoil in arid-land agriculture is compensated via irrigation that exploits massive freshwater resources. The cumulative effects decades unsustainable withdrawals many arid regions are now threatening food–water security. While plastic mulches can reduce evaporation topsoil, their cost and nonbiodegradability limit utility. In response, we report on biodegradable superhydrophobic sand (SHS), a bioinspired enhancement common with nanoscale wax coating. When SHS was applied as 5–10 mm-thick mulch over soil, reduced by 56–78% soil moisture increased 25–45%, which benefited development crops. Multiyear field trials tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), barley (Hordeum vulgare), wheat (Triticum aestivum) under normal demonstrated application enhanced yields 17–73%. Under brackish (5500 ppm NaCl), mulching produced 53–208% higher fruit grain for crops, respectively. did not affect soil–root–rhizosphere microbial communities evidenced 16S rRNA gene analysis. rhizospheric environments were dominated an assemblage diverse bacterial communities, such Gammaproteobacteria, Alphaproteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, followed Firmicutes, Gemmatimonadetes, Actinobacteria, could be responsible degradation paraffin SHS. Thus, technology should benefit irrigated city-greening efforts constraint high water-use efficiency.