"Our goal was to create a high-performance material from a renewable resource."
AgroBiogel, an Austrian startup founded in 2021, developed a wood-derived hydrogel that helps plants grow during droughts.
The hydrogel absorbs and retains water, allowing it to be gradually released to plant roots in dry conditions.
As Environment+Energy Leader reported, AgroBiogel's biodegradable hydrogel product is called Retentis. The product is wholly derived from wood and saves up to 40% of the water used for irrigation.
Other benefits of Retentis include its ability to enhance soil quality and improve the efficiency of fertilizer. It breaks down into humus over three to five years, supporting long-term soil health with fertile organic matter.
"Our goal was to create a high-performance material from a renewable resource," said Gibson S. Nyanhongo, AgroBiogel's inventor and CEO. "Retentis offers a dual benefit -- it reduces irrigation needs and enhances soil quality over time."
AgroBiogel's Retentis is a promising product because it supports plant growth in degraded, silty, and sandy soils that otherwise struggle to retain water in dry weather.
Climate-resilient farming techniques are becoming more crucial each growing season as global temperatures steadily rise and extreme storms become increasingly unpredictable.
Meanwhile, other researchers have also been working to develop wood technology and experimenting with genetically engineered wood for various applications. Agriculture innovations like Retentis can support the global food supply and help farmers overcome climate-related growing challenges.
AgroBiogel is a spin-off company from the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences in Vienna, Austria. It aims to set new standards in conventional and organic farming with environmentally friendly agriculture and forestry solutions.
AgroBiogel partnered with a bio-refinery, Austrocel Hallein GmbH, which specializes in converting waste wood into specialty gel products at an industrial scale.
Using Retentis could help farmers, landscapers, and nurseries grow crops, trees, and native plants in challenging conditions. It's not just for large-scale agriculture; Retentis also has applications for gardeners who want to grow their own food at home.
Since it's fully biodegradable, the product won't leach microplastics into the soil like other alternatives might.
It's also sustainably produced from lignin, an industry byproduct. Leftover lignin is often unused after pulp mills use the cellulose from wood to make paper and fiber. This production strategy ensures Retentis contributes to the circular economy.
AgroBiogel's field trials and independent agricultural tests of Retentis have been successful and have validated its performance.
"Combining Retentis with nitrogen fertilizer boosted plant biomass by over 30% compared to fertilizer alone," E+ELeader indicated.
The product has already won a new technology award in Italy for advancing sustainable viticulture. AgroBiogel also secured $2.8 million in funding to expand research, development, and marketing.
The company plans to expand into the American market, with product registration currently pending.
According to E+ELeader, it will work with North American research institutions to validate product testing locally and encourage widespread adoption of the product. AgroBiogel will also likely refine its guidance on dosage for different soil conditions and crop types as it expands the product to new markets.