Soil conditioning for better soil management

Abstract

Polymeric substances in the organic matter of soils aggregate soil particles into a ‘crumb structure’ which greatly influences such properties as water movement, aeration and heat transfer. Poorly-structured soils may be improved by the incorporation of synthetic polymers where the main objects are: promoting germination or establishing crops, improving drainage, combating wind and water erosion, and reducing evaporation from the surface of soil under arid conditions.