Agriculture

Less water. Stable yield.

In specialty crops and under glass, the leverage is large: every reduction in water input without loss of yield has a direct effect on profitability and resilience. RETENTIS® stores water and dissolved nutrients in the root zone and makes irrigation more efficient.

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Tried and tested

Results from field and greenhouse

Greenhouse tomatoes, 2023

+19 %

yield with 20% less water than the fully irrigated control, statistically significant.

Source: Tomato trial report

Greenhouse tomatoes, 2024

−50 %

water with the same yield as the fully irrigated control (53.1 t/ha), at 500 g/m². Single trial by SICOP Group in Motril, study SI24BT002.

Source: SICOP trial report SI24BT002 (on request)

New almond plantings

−30 %

irrigation, without losses in growth or yield.

Source: White Paper 2026 (German), p. 8

Young vines, up to

+48 %

plant-available water under drought stress. Field capacity from 24 to 42%.

Source: White Paper 2026 (German), p. 9

Field trial Almería

Less water. More yield.

In an independent greenhouse trial in Almería, tomatoes with RETENTIS® received 20% less water than the fully irrigated control and still delivered a higher yield.

One application, several crops

RETENTIS® stays active in the soil for 3–5 years.

Combinable with fertilizer

Keep your standard fertilization and work the fertilizer in at the same time.

Listed for organic use

FiBL input list (EU) and EasyCert list (AT).

No synthetic polymers

Lignin-based, made from a by-product of the timber industry.

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Greenhouse tomatoes, 250 g/m² RETENTIS®

−20 % Irrigation

+19 % Yield (16.04 → 19.09 t/ha), statistically significant

+5.7 % Yield in the following season without re-application, even though part of the granules was removed with the root balls when the previous crop was cleared

Greenhouse trials by SICOP Group in Níjar (Almería): 2023 season (study SI23BT004) and a 2024 follow-up trial (study SI24BT001; difference not statistically significant there). All values compared with the control at 100% irrigation. View trial report →

Maschinenring Agrartreff: water storage granulate in viticulture and arable farming

Dosage

Typical applications in agriculture

Application	Dosage	How to apply
Vineyards & orchards (new planting)	100 g/plant	Mix homogeneously with planting substrate in the planting hole
Greenhouse / polytunnel vegetables	250–500 g/m²	Work into the soil to a depth of 10 cm
Open-field vegetables	200 g/m²	Work into the soil to a depth of 10 cm
Arable crops (e.g. cereals, rapeseed)	20–30 kg/ha	Apply directly into the seed furrow when sowing
Propagation & planting substrates	10–20 g/l	Mix in evenly
Root dip gel	0.5–0.7 kg per 10 l water	Let swell for 10–15 minutes, dip roots for a few seconds

Do not spread on the surface; work it in. RETENTIS® does not replace fertilizer: keep your standard fertilization; nutrient use efficiency may improve. After application, adjust irrigation gradually and monitor soil moisture.

Source: RETENTIS® technical data sheet (German), May 2025, V 1.2 (arable crops: AgroBiogel recommendation)