Effect of soluble salts on water absorption by gel‐forming soil conditioners

Abstract The use of gel‐forming synthetic polymers as aids to water retention in sandy soils is an important development to assist plant growth in arid regions. However, the water storage properties of these soil conditioners are significantly affected by the nature and concentrations of dissolved salts in irrigation waters. Moreover, the salt response of products in the three main chemical families—starch copolymers, polyvinylalcohols and polyacrylamides—is very different, emphasising the importance of detailed assays in selecting a product for a particular set of environmental conditions.