Selection of a Vegetable Water-Retaining Material and Its Effects on the Growth and Quality of Cucumber under Drought Stress Part 1 : Selection of a Vegetable Water-Retaining Material
Water-retention capacities of moss, common water hyacinth and Late Juncellus were compared with that of SAP (super absorbent polymers), a presently used chemical water-retaining material. Moss was highest in the amount of water retained per unit weight among the three vegetable materials and showed a somewhat higher water-retention capacity than did SAP. However, it is difficult to collect moss enough for use as a water-retaining material, and collection of a large amount of moss easily lead to destruction of environment. Moss had a high potential but actually was not appropriate for using as a water-retaining material in crop production. Instead, common water hyacinth was targeted. It is an invading aquatic macrophyte with a potential for rapid growth and spreading, and has caused serious damage to local environment. Though its water-retention capacity was not so good as those of moss and SAP, common water hyacinth was easy to be collected and gave benefit to the soil water content and the growth of cucumber in the similar level as SAP. Results indicated that common water hyacinth could be used in the future as a vegetable water-retaining material
