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ARS Home » Midwest Area » West Lafayette, Indiana » National Soil Erosion Research Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #103852
Title: POLYACRYLAMIDE: USE, EFFECTIVENESS, AND COST OF A SOIL EROSION CONTROL AMENDMENT

Author
item GREEN, V - PURDUE UNIVERSITY
item Stott, Diane

Submitted to: International Soil Conservation Organization (ISCO)
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/20/2001
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Soil degradation is a significant problem throughout the world. Use of soil amendments, including anionic polyacrylamide (PAM), is one of many options for protection of soil resources. PAM has been the focus of a substantial amount of research in the 1990s. As a soil conditioner PAM can be used to stabilize soil aggregates as well as flocculate suspended particles. Part of the attractiveness of PAM is its versatility. Polyacrylamide can be used in furrow irrigation where it reduces erosion and runoff while improving soil quality and water quality and water use efficiency. In rain-fed agriculture and sprinkler irrigation, PAM is used to reduce surface sealing and crusting as well as erosion. Polyacrylamide is also used to stabilize steep slopes in construction, highway cuts, and other disturbed soils. The economics of PAM use can encourage its use in many instances and discourage its use in others. Polyacrylamide is very cost effective in furrow irrigation systems where it can be applied at low rates through the irrigation water. In construction applications, PAM reduces labor and material costs. Polyacrylamide can be cost effective in rain-fed agriculture under certain management regimes such as on soils highly susceptible to crusting and breaking the cycle of crusting-low organic residue production-crusting. As a soil conditioner, PAM is another tool that can be used to manage our soil resources.