Illinois Tests Innovative Hydrogel Technology to Enhance Crop Water and Nutrient Retention
A California-based agricultural technology company, Green Evolution Technologies, is conducting trials in Illinois for a new material designed to improve how crops retain water and nutrients. This material, known as InteliGel Hydrogel Technology, starts as a salt-like substance and transforms into a gelatinous form when it absorbs water. According to company co-founder Zarzand Alaverdyan, it functions similarly to a diaper, absorbing water and nutrients in one spot for the plant to access. The hydrogel can absorb up to 3,000 times its own weight and continuously releases water and nutrients. Governor JB Pritzker has acknowledged the company's efforts, expressing gratitude for its potential contributions to Illinois's future. The technology allows farmers to predict and plan the release cycles of the material, and its chief agronomist, Chad Godsey, states it can break down in soil within one to three years. The current trials are taking place at the PTI Research Farm in Tremont, with a full-scale launch tar... 
