EFFECT OF HYDROGEL MIXTURE ON WHEAT YIELD IN ARID CONDITIONS OF TURKESTAN REGION

Abstract

The article examines the effect of a hydrogel mixture on the growth, development and yield of "Steklovidnaya-24" wheat in conditions of insufficient humidity in the Turkestan region. An agrometeorological analysis of data from the Shymkent meteorological station, Sairam district, during the growing season (January-June 2025) was carried out, and a significant precipitation deficit was noted, which determines the relevance of moisture-saving technologies. Different variants of soil slitting (20 cm, 40 cm) and hydrogel doses (30 kg/ha and 60 kg/ha) were used in field experiments. According to the study, the optimal option is 20 cm slitting with the addition of a hydrogel mixture at a dose of 30 kg/ha, while the yield increased by 26.3 c/ha, and in the control version it was 17.4 c/ha. Laboratory measurements of moisture retention capacity confirmed the effectiveness of hydrogel application in the arable soil layer (20-30 cm). The results obtained enabled to substantiate the practical application of slitting and hydrogel treatment as an effective water-saving method in agricultural technology of grain crops. Thus, the use of a hydrogel mixture of 30 kg/ha, 35 kg/ha of P₂O₅ and 30 kg/ha of K₂O when slitting to a depth of 20 cm is a scientifically sound and practically significant method of resource-saving agriculture in arid regions. This solution provides an improvement in the water regime of the soil and a significant increase in yield.