Nanocellulose/wood ash-reinforced starch-chitosan hydrogel composites for soil conditioning and their impact on pea plant growth.

Hydrogels are 3-dimensional polymer networks capable of absorbing a large amount of water. Natural polymeric hydrogels are biodegradable, non-toxic and biocompatible. They can effectively retain nutrients for the plant and can be used as soil conditioners. This study uses a chemical cross-linking technique to synthesize starch and chitosan-based hydrogel using citric acid as a cross-linker. Additionally, hydrogel composites were developed by incorporating wood ash, nano-cellulose, and NPK (nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium) fertilizer as fillers to enhance their properties. The formulated hydrogel/hydrogel composite samples were characterized by FTIR spectroscopy, SEM analysis, X-ray diffraction and thermo-gravimetric analysis. The experiment results showed the chemical cross-linking among the polymeric chain and the semi-crystalline nature of the hydrogel/hydrogel composite samples. The swelling capacity of the hydrogel/hydrogel composite samples was 200-420% (in distilled water) and 104-220% (in saline medium) and demonstrated biodegradability within 110 days. The NPK reinforced hydrogel composite showed an excellent effect on the growth of pea plants (leaves count = 37, stem height = 20.2 cm), and could be effectively used as soil conditioners for agricultural applications. Considering the ability of hydrogel composites to reduce irrigation needs, enhance nutrient retention, and improve crop production, these novel hydrogel composites present an economically viable solution for sustainable agricultural practices.