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    Superhydrophobic sand mulches increase agricultural productivity in arid regions

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    Preprintfile1.pdf
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    Description:
    Pre-print
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    Type
    Preprint
    Authors
    Gallo Junior, Adair cc
    Odokonyero, Kennedy
    Mousa, Magdi A. A.
    Reihmer, Joel W. cc
    Almashharawi, Samir cc
    Marasco, Ramona cc
    Manalastas, Edelberto
    Morton, Mitchell J. L.
    Daffonchio, Daniele cc
    McCabe, Matthew cc
    Tester, Mark A. cc
    Mishra, Himanshu cc
    KAUST Department
    Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering (BESE) Division
    Bioscience Program
    Center for Desert Agriculture
    Earth System Observation and Modelling
    Environmental Science and Engineering
    Environmental Science and Engineering Program
    Extreme Systems Microbiology Lab
    Interfacial Lab
    Plant Science
    Red Sea Research Center (RSRC)
    The Salt Lab
    Water Desalination and Reuse Research Center (WDRC)
    Date
    2021-01-31
    Permanent link to this record
    http://hdl.handle.net/10754/667192
    
    Metadata
    Show full item record
    Abstract
    Excessive evaporative loss of water from the topsoil in arid-land agriculture is compensated via irrigation, which exploits massive freshwater resources. The cumulative effects of decades of unsustainable freshwater consumption in many arid regions are now threatening food-water security. While plastic mulches can reduce evaporation from the topsoil, their cost and non-biodegradability limit their utility. In response, we report on superhydrophobic sand (SHS), a bio-inspired enhancement of common sand with a nanoscale wax coating. When SHS was applied as a 5 mm-thick mulch over the soil, evaporation dramatically reduced and crop yields increased. Multi-year field trials of SHS application with tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), barley (Hordeum vulgare), and wheat (Triticum aestivum) under normal irrigation enhanced yields by 17%-73%. Under brackish water irrigation (5500 ppm NaCl), SHS mulching produced 53%-208% higher fruit yield and grain gains for tomato and barley. Thus, SHS could benefit agriculture and city-greening in arid regions.
    Sponsors
    We thank the following colleagues from KAUST: Ms. Jamilya Nauruzbayeva for her assistance in applying SHS in the fields; Mr. Vinicius Luis dos Santos forhis assistance in conducting soil analysis; Dr. Mahmoud Ibrahim and Dr. Andreia Farinha for troubleshooting during soil analysis; Mr. Sankara Arunachalam and Dr. Eddy Domingues for environmental scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive spectroscopy; Dr. Erqiang Li and Professor Sigurdur Thoroddsen for high-speed imaging; Dr. Yoann Malbeteau and Mr. Bruno Aragon for their assistance in soil moisture data analysis; Dr. Nishan Abdul Jaleel, Dr. Gabriele Fiene, and Dr. Muppala Reddy for their assistance in greenhouse experiments. We would also like to thank Dr. Adel D. Al-Qurashi, Prof. Dr. Abdullah S. Al-Wagdany, and Dr. Khalid Asseri from KAU, Jeddah. The co-authors thank Mr. Xavier Pita, Scientific Illustrator at KAUST, for creating Fig. 1A-B and Dr. Michael Cusack (KAUST) and Prof. Kevin Plaxco (University of California, Santa Barbara) for their assistance in scientific editing.
    Funding: We acknowledge research support from King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) through award # BAS/1/1070-0101 to HM.
    Publisher
    arXiv
    arXiv
    2102.00495
    Additional Links
    https://arxiv.org/pdf/2102.00495
    Collections
    Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering (BESE) Division; Red Sea Research Center (RSRC); Preprints; Bioscience Program; Environmental Science and Engineering Program; Water Desalination and Reuse Research Center (WDRC); Center for Desert Agriculture

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