New Water Retention Technology Improves Corn Yields and Cellulosic Biomass Production On Highly Permeable Soils.

Inadequate spatial and temporal retention of soil water within the root zones of agricultural plants growing on nearly half a billion acres of droughty soils across the continental USA is one of the primary contributors to plant production losses.  Soil water retention of 10 to 12% in plant root zones  minimize the supply of plant available water by sandy soils unless naturally occurring finer textured Bt horizons are located within the soil profile. The new Subsurface Water Retention Technology (SWRT) is a revolutionary water saving management system that installs polyethylene for long term or biodegradable polymer membranes for short term use. These contoured engineered membranes double and sometimes triple soil water contents in plant root zones, providing reductions of water and nutrient losses in a manner designed to overcome plant water stresses during potential rainfall extremes associated with changing climates. SWRT membranes also provide additional ecosystem services, eg. greater soil carbon sequestration, reduced greenhouse gas production, and dramatic reductions of groundwater contamination by agriculture. The novel SWRT mechanical barrier installation device (BID) places polymer membranes at strategic depths, between 25-70 cm, below the soil surface. SWRT membrane designs include spatial configurations for internal soil drainage of saturated soil water during excess rainfall and can be perforated to promote timely drainage in finer textured soils. Installation of SWRT membranes directly below the root zone of irrigated corn, grown in sandy soils, increased cellulosic biomass of corn stover by 284% to 380% beyond controls without water retention membranes.  SWRT-improved sands increased corn stover production by 28.5 tons per acre when planted at high population densities. Modeled benefits of the incorporation of these designer membranes into sustainable agricultural land predict 283% increases in maize grain yields.  Greater plant production profits improved by these new SWRT water and nutrient saving membranes can accelerate manufacturing, employment and local businesses in regions surrounded by sandy soils where adequate rainfall and/or supplemental irrigation are available.