Cashew Gum ( Anacardium occidentale ) Hydrogel for Sustainable Irrigation of Cactus Pear: Effects on Growth, Chemical Composition, and Mineral Content

Dhiéssica Barros, Ricardo Edvan, João Paulo Pessoa, Romilda Nascimento, Luan Felipe Camboim, Shirlenne Silva, José Morais Pereira Filho (), Heldeney Sousa, Edson Cavalcanti Silva-Filho, Mozart Fonseca and Leilson Bezerra ()
Additional contact information
Dhiéssica Barros: Animal Science Department, Federal University of Piauí, Bom Jesus 64900-000, PI, Brazil
Ricardo Edvan: Animal Science Department, Federal University of Piauí, Bom Jesus 64900-000, PI, Brazil
João Paulo Pessoa: Animal Science Department, Federal University of Piauí, Bom Jesus 64900-000, PI, Brazil
Romilda Nascimento: Animal Science Department, Federal University of Piauí, Bom Jesus 64900-000, PI, Brazil
Luan Felipe Camboim: Graduate Program in Animal Science and Health, Federal University of Campina Grande, Patos 58708-110, PB, Brazil
Shirlenne Silva: Animal Science Department, Federal University of Piauí, Bom Jesus 64900-000, PI, Brazil
José Morais Pereira Filho: Graduate Program in Animal Science and Health, Federal University of Campina Grande, Patos 58708-110, PB, Brazil
Heldeney Sousa: Chemistry Department, Federal University of Piauí, Teresina 64049-550, PI, Brazil
Edson Cavalcanti Silva-Filho: Chemistry Department, Federal University of Piauí, Teresina 64049-550, PI, Brazil
Mozart Fonseca: Department of Animal and Range Sciences, Clayton Livestock Research Center, New Mexico State University, Clayton, NM 88415, USA
Leilson Bezerra: Graduate Program in Animal Science and Health, Federal University of Campina Grande, Patos 58708-110, PB, Brazil

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 2, 1-14

Abstract: Hydrogels are substances designed to retain significant quantities of water and slowly release it to support plant growth. This study produced and evaluated the use of a test hydrogel (TH), a natural polymer derived from cashew gum ( Anacardium occidentale ), on the growth, chemical composition, and mineral content of cactus pear genotypes. The TH was compared to a negative control (no hydrogel; NH), and to a positive control or commercial hydrogel (CH). The CH was a synthetic polyacrylamide-based hydrogel. The study was carried out in a completely randomized design with a 3 × 3 factorial arrangement ( n = 36), involving three hydrogel types × three cactus pear genotypes [Elephant Ear ( Opuntia stricta ); Giant ( Opuntia ficus-indica ); and Sweet ( Nopalea cochenillifera )]. There was a significant effect of interaction ( p ≤ 0.05) between genotypes and hydrogel types on cladode area, plant height, dry biomass of cladodes, and macro- and micromineral content. The use of TH promoted greater growth and improved chemical and mineral composition ( p ≤ 0.05) to cactus genotypes. The Sweet genotype hydrated with TH presented the highest crude protein accumulation ( p ≤ 0.05). Cashew gum-based hydrogel improved both growth and chemical composition of the cactus genotypes, and it is an eco-friendly alternative to synthetic polymers.

Keywords: biodegradable; Cactaceae; Nopalea cochenillifera; Opuntia fícus-indica; Opuntia Stricta; polymers; sustainability (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/2/501/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/2/501/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:2:p:501-:d:1564218

Access Statistics for this article

Sustainability is currently edited by Ms. Alexandra Wu

More articles in Sustainability from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().