# 🌱 'Smart Soil' Grows 138% Bigger Crops Using 40% Less Water

**URL:** <https://onehack.st/t/smart-soil-grows-138-bigger-crops-using-40-less-water/287357>\
**Category:** News & Articles\
**Tags:** technology\
**Created:** [July 20, 2024, 12:40pm UTC](https://onehack.st/t/smart-soil-grows-138-bigger-crops-using-40-less-water/287357 "2024-07-20T12:40:24Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![TheJoker](https://onehack.st/user_avatar/onehack.st/thejoker/32/22660_2.png) [@TheJoker](https://onehack.st/u/TheJoker)\
**Post date:** [July 20, 2024, 12:40pm UTC](https://onehack.st/t/smart-soil-grows-138-bigger-crops-using-40-less-water/287357/1 "2024-07-20T12:40:25Z")

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**Summary:**

1. **Innovative Hydrogel Technology** : Scientists at the University of Texas at Austin have developed a “smart soil” incorporating a hydrogel that absorbs water vapor from the air at night and releases it to plant roots during the day, enhancing hydration and providing a slow release of calcium chloride.

2. **Remarkable Test Results** : Lab experiments demonstrated that plants grown in this smart soil had a 138% increase in stem length while using 40% less water compared to the control group, showing significant efficiency in water usage and crop growth.

3. **Future Enhancements and Testing** : The research team plans to experiment with different fertilizers and conduct extended field trials to further optimize and validate the effectiveness of this smart soil technology for broader agricultural applications.