Can Super Absorbent Polymer Improve the Water-Deficit Tolerance of Young Myrtle Plants?

Water scarcity is a serious problem affecting young plants' growth, development, and establishment. Superabsorbent polymers (SAPs) have revealed an excellent capacity to absorb and retain water, increase soil moisture, and improve the growth of plants under water shortage. A greenhouse study was performed with three irrigation regimes (50%, 75%, and 100 % FC) and three levels of SAP-A200 (0, 1, and 2 g kg-1 soil) in a factorial experiment based on a completely randomized design with four replications. The results showed that soil water deficit affected physiological and biochemical characteristics of young myrtle plants. Photosynthetic parameters, total chlorophyll, and relative water content (RWC) decreased by increasing water-deficit stress. In contrast, leaf electrolyte leakage (EL), malondialdehyde (MDA), total soluble sugars (TSSs), and starch, increased. However, the application of minimal amounts of SAP (1 and 2 g kg-1 soil) improved most of these characteristics in both well-watered and water-deficit conditions, it appears that a higher amount of SAP is needed in moderate and severe water stress conditions. Therefore, SAP-A200 can be utilized as an efficient and economical method for rapidly establishing woody young plants in low-water areas.