Current Trends in Biopolymer-Based Hydrogels for Use in Agriculture.

Shanmugavel, D., Solorza-Feria, O., Kamaraj, SK.

In: Abd-Elsalam, K.A., Hashim, A.F., Ahmed, F.K., Thomas, S. (eds) Biopolymeric Nanoparticles for Agricultural Applications. Nanotechnology in the Life Sciences. Springer, Cham. 
Abstract
Biopolymer hydrogels are a versatile substance with numerous applications in various industries, including agriculture, water purification, cosmetics, and personal care. They are favored over synthetic hydrogels due to their security, biocompatibility, and environmental friendliness. This chapter focuses on the use of biopolymer hydrogels made from natural polymers in agriculture. The creation of hydrogels involves various crosslinking agents, biopolymers, and procedures. Biopolymer hydrogels are utilized in agriculture to offer drought resistance, as nutrient reservoirs, and seed coating agents, and to improve transplanting success rates. They are also biodegradable and environmentally compatible for various agricultural uses. However, the majority of hydrogels on the market are based on polyacrylamide and acrylate derivatives, which are only partly biodegradable, making them possible soil pollutants and hazardous. There is growing interest in creating biodegradable biopolymer hydrogels for agricultural applications, such as chitosan, cellulose, alginate, and other biopolymers due to their low cost, biodegradability, and biocompatibility. This chapter reviews current research on biopolymer-based hydrogels for agricultural applications, focusing on their synthesis and applications for agrochemicals in agriculture.
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-68834-8_2