Introduction of a vegetation-friendly bio-based soil binder

Abstract

Desertification and vegetation growth have been a major area of interest for sustainable development. Generally, the vegetation growth is affected by several factors, including soil density (pore spaces) and soil-water characteristics. The soil water retention characteristic and water delivery to plant roots are crucial for seed germination and following plant growth. Plants require a small amount of water for their metabolic purposes; however, the most of moisture is lost through transpiration. Furthermore, lower water holding capacity and excessive drainage of water of sandy soils can impede the plant growth. In study, a vegetation-friendly soil strengthening binder is introduced to provide soil strengthening as well as vegetation improvement effects. Microbial biopolymer has been mixed with soil in hydrogel phase to enhance the water retention of soils and to promote vegetation growth in the same medium. In-situ soil, and cultured soil were used for experimental verifications.