3-Dimensional cross linked hydrophilic polymeric network “hydrogels”: An agriculture boom

Abstract Developing rapid technologies that improve the food production industry with no harmful influence on the environment is a prime priority today. Agriculture is one of the most important sectors but it consume large amount of water. Agriculture soil especially arid and semi-arid soils have large pores due to this; plants have to face low water and fertilizer retention problem. Smart polymeric materials and their high water and mineral retention capacity helped the agricultural industry. Hydrogels, also termed as smart and/or hungry networks, are current subject of considerable scientific research due to their potential in hi-tech applications in modern agriculture system. This review mainly focuses on how we can increase the efficiency of already available hydrogels and their processing regarding crops. This review also discusses the literature about some novel and advanced hydrogels with their applications in agri/food-based industries.