Fertilizer Efficiency with Soil Hydrogel: Slow Release, Less Leaching, Higher Yields

What problem are we solving?

Over half of applied nitrogen is wasted, inflating costs and driving N2O emissions and nitrate leaching into groundwater.

Phosphorus becomes “fixed” in soil, limiting plant uptake.

Result: more reapplications, labor, machinery time, and environmental damage.

SOCO Soil Hydrogel: how it boosts fertilizer efficiency

Slow, controlled nitrogen release: Keeps N in the root zone longer, reducing volatilization and leaching.

Less leaching, better retention: Hydrogel holds water and dissolved nutrients, making them available through drought cycles.

Unlock fixed phosphorus: Humic/fulvic acids convert fixed P into plant‑available forms, balancing nutrition.

Rebuild soil structure: Better aggregation, moisture buffering, and resilience.

Proven outcome pillars

Increase base fertilizer efficiency by 30%–50%.

Use up to 50% less fertilizer and 50% less irrigation water while maintaining or improving yield.

Reduce fertilizer leaching by ~60% and cut runoff pollution.

Deliver consistent yields with reduced inputs and healthier soils.

Where to use it

Mix with fertilizer (co-application) across:

Vegetables, field crops, lawn transplant, horticulture, adult trees, greening projects, desert planting. Pair with FERTISORB™ for maximum fertilizer efficiency.

Compatible with potassium polyacrylate and sodium polyacrylate platforms; select grade by crop, soil, and salinity.

How it works (technical snapshot)

Superabsorbent polymer (SAP) matrix captures water and dissolved nutrients; releases them as soil dries and roots demand increases.

Humic/fulvic acids mobilize P from fixed pools; improved cation exchange and root access.

Outcome: higher Nitrogen Use Efficiency (NUE) and more balanced N-P-K uptake.

Implementation guidelines

Mixing: Blend hydrogel uniformly with base fertilizer; band or spot place near the root zone.

Rates: Follow local agronomy; start with 0.5%–2% w/w with fertilizer in blends, adjusting by soil texture and rainfall/irrigation regime.

Sandy soils: Use the higher end of the range; finer textures: lower end.

Irrigation: Expect better water-use efficiency—adjust schedules down as soil holds moisture longer.

Sustainability and compliance

Lower nutrient losses mean less nitrate in groundwater and reduced N2O emissions.

Restored soil structure supports long-term productivity and climate resilience.

Recommended product

FERTISORB™ — SOCO’s fertilizer-efficiency hydrogel for co-application with fertilizers.

Call to action

Mix hydrogel with your base fertilizer to cut leaching, save inputs, and stabilize yields. Start with FERTISORB™ and a 30%–50% fertilizer efficiency gain target, then fine-tune by soil and climate.