Transformation of Lignocellulosic Biomass to Cellulose-Based Hydrogel and Agriglass to Improve Beans Yield

Rice straw, as a lignocellulosic biomass, was used for the preparation of both friendly environmental hydrophilic polymer, i.e. hydrogel, and agriglass, for fertilizer, to improve the yield of beans in sandy soil. The hydrogel was used as slow release water, while the glass fertilizer was used to release the phosphorus and potassium, those present in the agriglass, to be used by the plant roots as a slow release fertilizer. A field experiment was carried out at Ismailia Governorate, Egypt to study the effect of hydrogel (H), agriglass (G), effective microorganisms (M) and mixtures of them, namely HG, HM, GM and HGM, on faba bean production and their ability to ameliorating salinity stress (soil EC = 6 dS m−1) under different irrigation levels (I1 = 100 I2 = 85 I3 = 75% of calculated water requirements). Statistical analysis indicates a significant effect of irrigation levels and all amendments on bean growth parameters, i.e. seed yield, seed nutrient content, irrigation water use efficiency and economic water productivity. Bean seeds yield (ton fed−1) was increased as follows: HGM > HG > GM > HM > M > H > G > control.