To enhance water use in agriculture, Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) and National Research Development Corporation (NRDC) have joined hands for commercialisation of superabsorbent hydrogels technology.
According to a pact signed between RIL and NRDC, the technology involves a novel hydrophilic super-absorbent polymer indigenously developed by the Indian Agricultural Research Institute to meet the requirements of water productivity in agriculture, an official release said.
Apart from resolving the problem of poor water use efficiency in agricultural crops, the technology claims to improve nutrient use efficiency and other benefits.
NRDC, which has already signed such pacts with five companies, said it was in the process of executing another agreement with a Chennai-based company for transfer of similar technology.
“Hydrogel absorbs a minimum of 350 times its weight of pure water at 500C. It exhibits absorbency at high temperatures suitable for semi-arid and arid regions. Besides, low rate of application it also improves physical properties of soil such as porosity, aggregate stability and hydraulic conductivity,” the statement added.