- Chemistry
- Cross-linked potassium polyacrylate
- Grade
- Agricultural
- Forms
- Granules, Coarse powder
- Biodegradable
- No
Overview
Potassium polyacrylate is the polymer most widely used as an agricultural hydrogel. Each granule swells into a soft gel when it meets water, holding many times its own weight, and gives that water back to roots as the surrounding soil dries.
Because the counter-ion is potassium rather than sodium, it suits long-term soil use. It works best when placed close to the roots — in the planting pit, along the drip line or mixed into the seed bed — rather than scattered on the surface.
Key points
- Holds water in the root zone between irrigations
- Potassium-based: no sodium build-up in soil
- Re-absorbs through repeated wet–dry cycles
- Suited to drip, pit and furrow placement
Specifications
| Appearance | White to off-white granules |
|---|---|
| Absorption, deionised water | 300–500 g/g |
| Absorption, 0.9% saline | 40–60 g/gFalls as salts and hardness rise |
| Particle size | 0.5–2.0 mm (granular) |
| pH (1% gel) | 6.0–7.5 |
| Moisture | ≤ 8% |
| Field life | Several crop seasonsShortened by UV exposure, salts and microbial activity |
Indicative values for this polymer class. The Technical Data Sheet for your grade and the Certificate of Analysis for your batch take precedence.
Compare with other productsApplications
- Horticulture & orchards
- Grapes, pomegranate, banana, citrus and mango — placed in pits or the drip wetting zone.
- Vegetables & spices
- Mixed into beds or applied with basal fertiliser for onion, tomato, chilli, turmeric and ginger.
- Nurseries & transplanting
- Blended into potting mix or used as a root dip to reduce transplant shock.
- Plantations & forestry
- Pit application for saplings in dryland and rainfed plantings.
How to use it
- 1Apply dry, close to the roots, then irrigate so granules can swell.
- 2Mix with soil, sand, compost or basal fertiliser for even spreading.
- 3Do not leave on the soil surface — sunlight degrades the polymer.
- 4Use the dosage calculator for a starting quantity and confirm with Sarovar's agronomy team.
Good to know
- Absorption is lower in saline or hard water; dosage may need adjustment.
- Store sealed in a dry place; granules absorb atmospheric moisture.
Documents
Shared for the grade you are evaluating. A Certificate of Analysis accompanies every batch.
Evaluating potassium polyacrylate?
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