Effect of superabsorbent polymers on soil microbial respiration and biomass under drought stress condition

The incidence of drought stress conditions in arid and semi-arid areas is considered as one of the most environmental constrains to soil microbial activity that can be limited by nutrient availability and microbial death increasing. The aim of this research was to study the effect of drought stress on soil microbial respiration and biomass in the presence of natural and synthetic superabsorbent polymers.Two natural superabsorbent (Coir-Dust ”CO” and Saw-Dust “SD”) and two synthetic superabsorbent polymers (, A200 and A300 hydrogels) were added to soil under 30% and 70% of field capacity and soil microbial properties(respiration and soil microbial biomass carbon) were assayed. Results showed that by decrease of soil moisture from 70% FC (without moisture stress) to 30% FC (with drought stress), total microbial respiration declined for the control, CO and SD treatments (49-72%) and increased in synthetic superabsorbent-amended soils (188-221%). Microbial biomass C was lowered in all treatments with the exception of A300 hydrogel (10-59%) treatment. Finally, the results confirmed higher soil microbial activity with synthetic superabsorbent polymers than with other amendments under stressed conditions.