Search Results (414)

Loess is prone to structural softening and damage under rainfall conditions. To improve the scouring and erosion resistance of loess slopes, this study employed a combined soybean urease-induced calcium carbonate precipitation (SICP) and nano-SiO₂ treatment for improving the erosion resistance of loess. The optimal urease concentration was determined through urease activity tests and triaxial shear tests, and the erosion resistance of specimens subjected to different treatments was further evaluated using laboratory simulated rainfall scouring tests. The experimental results indicated that, for loess treated by the combined SICP-nano-SiO₂ method, the shear strength and resistance to shear failure increased markedly with increasing cementation solution concentration and nano-SiO₂ content, and the improvement effect was superior to that of single treatment methods. When the combined treatment consisted of 1 mol/L SICP and 2% nano-SiO₂, the enhancement in shear resistance was most pronounced, with the deviator stress at failure reaching 372 kPa. Under laboratory simulated rainfall conditions, the specimens treated with the combined SICP-nano-SiO₂ method exhibited the lowest soil loss among the tested treatments. Compared with untreated loess, the reductions in soil loss at rainfall intensities of 60, 90, and 120 mm/h were 86.0%, 83.6%, and 96.3%, respectively. SEM observations further showed that the combined treatment was associated with a refined pore structure and improved distribution of cementation products. These results demonstrate improved laboratory-scale surface erosion resistance under the tested conditions. However, because the rainfall tests were conducted using 240 mm × 170 mm × 40 mm trays, the results should not be directly extrapolated to full-scale loess slopes, and further field-scale validation is required. Full article

Soil salinization poses a significant threat to sustainable agricultural development and ecological security worldwide, resulting in considerable crop losses annually. The advent of drone-based hyperspectral remote sensing offers promising solutions for monitoring soil salinity, due to its high spatial resolution and versatile data acquisition capabilities. However, soil moisture alters both the scattering and absorption characteristics of electromagnetic radiation, thereby modifying soil spectral reflectance and masking salinity-related diagnostic spectral features, which can reduce the accuracy of conventional salinity estimation models. This study evaluates six spectral transformation methods—raw reflectance data (Ref), first derivative (FDR), Piecewise Direct Standardization (PDS), Orthogonal Signal Correction (OSC), FDR + PDS, and FDR + OSC—in conjunction with three machine learning algorithms: K-Nearest Neighbors (KNN), Support Vector Regression (SVR), and Multi-Layer Perceptron (MLP). A Stacking ensemble model integrating these base learners was further developed to improve soil salinity inversion under moisture interference. The results demonstrated that the Stacking model achieved the highest accuracy and stability among the evaluated models. Additional comparisons with XGBoost and Random Forest (RF) further confirmed the competitive performance of the proposed Stacking framework. The FDR + OSC–Stacking combination achieved the best validation performance, with $R_p^2$ = 0.87, RMSEP = 0.67 mS·cm⁻¹, and RPD = 2.93. Compared with the Ref–Stacking model, $R_p^2$ increased by 0.32 (from 0.55 to 0.87), while RMSEP decreased by 0.58 mS·cm⁻¹ (from 1.25 to 0.67 mS·cm⁻¹). The results showed that PDS had limited effectiveness in correcting moisture-related spectral variation, whereas OSC more effectively mitigated moisture interference while preserving spectral information relevant to salinity estimation. Among the machine learning models evaluated, the Stacking ensemble model achieved better predictive performance than MLP, SVR, and KNN. Furthermore, the FDR + OSC–Stacking combination provided the best performance among the evaluated modeling frameworks and was successfully applied to UAV hyperspectral imagery for spatial mapping of EC_1:5. These findings demonstrate the potential of combining appropriate spectral correction with Stacking for UAV-based soil salinity assessment and provide useful technical support for site-specific salinity management in precision agriculture. Full article

A sustainable controlled low-strength material (CLSM) was developed using ground granulated blast-furnace slag, steel slag, and flue gas desulfurization gypsum in combination with cement to synergistically utilize engineering excavated soil and industrial solid wastes for stabilizing low liquid limit clay. However, the long-term durability evolution of this material under harsh and coupled environmental conditions—particularly freeze–thaw cycles, wet–dry cycles, and prolonged drying—has not been systematically investigated. In this study, systematic freeze–thaw cycling (up to 11 cycles), wet–dry cycling (up to 11 cycles), and natural drying (until mass stabilization) tests were conducted on specimens with binder contents ranging from 8% to 16%. The evolution of mechanical performance was evaluated via unconfined compressive strength (UCS) tests, while microstructural changes were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The results revealed a distinctive “S-shaped” fluctuation in UCS under freeze–thaw cycles. High-binder (16%) specimens maintained strengths of 1783–2395 kPa with intact surfaces and no visible cracking—significantly outperforming low-binder specimens. Under wet–dry cycles, strength initially increased after the first cycle and then declined progressively, with the lowest strength loss observed at 10% binder content. During drying, both water loss rate and drying shrinkage strain decreased with increasing binder content: from 8% to 16% binder, the water loss rate dropped from 34.16% to 29.03%. Microstructural analysis revealed that higher binder content promoted the formation of a dense, interwoven network of C–S–H gel and ettringite, which effectively filled intergranular pores and encapsulated soil particles, thereby enhancing macroscopic durability. This study provides a sustainable material solution for utilizing industrial solid wastes in the stabilization of low liquid limit clay for CLSM applications under severe environmental conditions, supporting the broader adoption of waste-to-resource strategies in construction engineering. Full article

Suction bucket foundations provide an efficient foundation solution for offshore wind turbines, but improving their uplift resistance in soft clay remains a practical challenge. Vacuum preloading has been an effective means to enhance soft clay engineering properties, yet its offshore application is constrained by the difficulty of maintaining a reliable underwater seal. This study proposes soil-plug vacuum preloading, in which the impermeable skirt and lid of an installed suction bucket serve as a natural sealed boundary for post-installation soil improvement for enhanced uplift performance. Model tests on a bucket equipped with a central prefabricated vertical drain (PVD) were conducted to examine vacuum transmission, soil consolidation, and uplift behaviour. Two vacuum-preloaded cases with prefabricated vertical drain lengths H_PVD = L and H_PVD = 2L, where H_PVD denotes the PVD length and L denotes the bucket skirt length, were compared with an untreated case. Coupled hydro-mechanical finite element analyses were performed to interpret the observed responses. The tests showed that ultimate pullout capacity increased by 197% for H_PVD = L and 288% for H_PVD = 2L. The maximum negative pore pressure beneath the lid increased by 89% and 154%, respectively, while the remaining non-suction resistance also increased markedly due to vacuum-induced consolidation. Prototype-scale numerical analyses of a double-walled bucket were further conducted to investigate the effects of the bucket length-to-diameter ratio (L/D = 0.6, 1.0, and 1.5) and the applied vacuum pressure (0 to −70 kPa) on the uplift response. Among the analysed cases, the largest increase occurred for L/D = 1.5 under an applied vacuum pressure of −70 kPa, where the predicted uplift load at a displacement of 0.20 m increased by up to 42% compared with the no-vacuum condition. These results provide proof-of-concept evidence that soil-plug vacuum preloading may offer a potentially feasible post-installation approach for improving the uplift response of suction buckets in soft clay, although further experimental and field-scale validation is required. Full article

Slope stability assessment remains a fundamental challenge in geotechnical engineering because of the complex nonlinear interactions among soil properties, slope geometry, and hydraulic conditions, particularly variations in pore-water pressure. This study investigates the reliability of Artificial Neural Network–Multi-Layer Perceptron (ANN–MLP) models for predicting the Factor of Safety (FoS) of homogeneous soil slopes through a systematic comparison of three gradient-based optimization algorithms: Adam, Mini-Batch Gradient Descent (MBGD), and Nesterov Accelerated Gradient (NAG). A database comprising 2014 slope cases, compiled from published studies and numerically generated using Limit Equilibrium Method (LEM) and Finite Element Method (FEM) analyses, was used for model development and k-fold cross-validation. Beyond statistical evaluation, the developed models were validated using two classical dry-slope benchmark frameworks based on the Taylor stability charts and Bishop–Morgenstern stability coefficients, followed by two documented engineering case studies from Hulu Kelang and Pahang, Malaysia, to assess predictive performance under both dry and variable hydraulic conditions. Adam achieved the highest cross-validated predictive accuracy (R² = 0.988; RMSE = 0.212), whereas MBGD demonstrated the closest overall agreement with the reference LEM solutions across the validation cases and under increasing pore-water pressure ratios. NAG generally produced more conservative predictions while exhibiting greater sensitivity to hyperparameter selection. All models successfully reproduced the expected nonlinear reduction in FoS with increasing pore-water pressure, consistent with established geotechnical behaviour. The results demonstrate that optimizer selection significantly influences ANN–MLP prediction behaviour and that properly validated gradient-based ANN models can serve as efficient decision-support tools for rapid slope stability assessment under hydraulic variability. Full article

Geoelectric field observations play a vital role in geophysical exploration, geological disaster early warning, and underground resource detection. Traditional contact non-polarisable electrodes, which require burial and electrolyte coupling, are hindered by several issues, such as limited adaptability to challenging terrain, significant electrode potential drift, and high susceptibility to environmental interference. Existing non-contact electric field sensors often exhibit insufficient coupling capacitance, poor impedance matching for ultra-weak high-impedance signals, and inadequate low-frequency noise suppression, rendering them unsuitable for the precise acquisition of natural microvolt-level geoelectric field signals. To address these challenges, this study introduces an innovative non-contact geoelectric field sensor with a three-layer composite structure. The sensor operates based on the principle of a parallel-plate capacitor, with a conductive silver paste layer at the top acting as the signal acquisition electrode plate, which forms an equivalent parallel-plate capacitance model with the ground to achieve non-contact capacitive coupling for geoelectric field detection. The intermediate layer uses lead zirconate titanate (PZT) piezoelectric ceramics as a support medium with a high dielectric constant. At the bottom is a silicon-based, flexible, sensitive ground-contacting layer with high elasticity, which allows it to adapt to micro-level surface irregularities, eliminating air gaps between the electrode plate and the ground, increasing plate-to-ground coupling capacitance, and ensuring the stability of the capacitance. The three-layer structure was created using a dry-press sintering integration approach, which eliminates interlayer bonding materials while ensuring consistent dielectric performance and efficient charge transfer. Additionally, a specialised signal-conditioning circuit was designed to match the ultra-high-impedance sensitive unit, utilising the ADA4528-2 ultra-low-noise precision operational amplifier, which achieved low-loss conversion and strong noise suppression for ultra-weak high-impedance charge signals. The circuit simulation results demonstrate that the designed circuit achieves an input impedance of no less than 10 TΩ, an effective operating bandwidth from 0.02 Hz to 20 kHz, and a voltage noise density lower than 1.5 μV/√Hz at 10 Hz, fully covering the ultra-low-frequency effective band of natural geoelectric fields. Field experiments comparing artificial and natural field signals revealed that the proposed sensor could be quickly deployed by simply attaching it to the ground without burial. Its time-domain waveform consistency and frequency-domain component matching were nearly identical to those of commercial standard solid non-polarisable electrodes, with a cross-correlation coefficient greater than 0.98, indicating no significant potential drift or power-frequency interference. By structurally eliminating the inherent electrode potential difference, the sensor offers advantages such as ease of deployment, strong environmental adaptability, high precision for weak signal acquisition, and excellent engineering substitutability. It is well suited for long-term geoelectric field observations in complex field scenarios, including deserts, Gobi areas, and frozen soil regions, and provides a high-performance, novel sensing solution for geoelectric field detection in extreme environments. Full article

Reliable tools for assessing soil nutrient availability are essential for the accurate determination of fertilizer application rates. The aim of this study was to evaluate the reliability of commercially available electrochemical sensors for the real-time determination of water-soluble N, P, and K in soil as indicators of nutrient supply to crops. The experiment was conducted under both greenhouse and field conditions using seven probe models. Four probes (designated 1–4) were equipped with three sensors for the measurement of N, P, and K. Probes 5, 6, and 7 were equipped with sensors for N, P, K, electrical conductivity (EC), pH, soil temperature, and soil moisture, although probe 7 was manufactured by a different company. Each probe was inserted into 4 L pots filled first with a clay-loam soil and subsequently with a sandy soil. The soils were irrigated with nutrient solutions containing different concentrations of N, P, and K in order to modify nutrient concentrations in the soil solution and compare sensor readings with values obtained through standard chemical analyses. The results showed no significant correlation between probe readings and soil N, P, or K concentrations in either clay-loam or sandy soils. At the same time, all probes exhibited a constant relationship among N, P, and K readings regardless of soil texture or nutrient concentration. This finding suggests that the probe algorithms rely on a single measured variable that is subsequently converted into multiple output variables using fixed conversion coefficients. In conclusion, the NPK probes tested in this study were unable to provide reliable real-time measurements of soil N, P, and K concentrations. Full article

Building facades are highly exposed envelope components whose degradation affects durability, habitability, urban image, and maintenance planning. Several studies address facade anomalies and service-life prediction. However, a need remains for integrated, reproducible procedures that combine visual inspection, taxonomic classification, and statistical analysis within a single framework. This research develops and validates a standardized methodology for the assessment of facade pathologies in urban buildings. The proposed framework is structured into sequential phases: documentary research, systematic visual inspection, photographic recording, damage classification, facade mapping, standardized inspection sheets, database generation, statistical analysis, and cluster-based interpretation of damage patterns. The methodology was validated through an urban case study in Valencia, Spain, where 168 building facades were inspected and 1600 damage were identified, classified, mapped, and digitized. The collected data were analysed according to building age, environmental exposure, and affected facade units. Soiling due to differential washing was the most frequent damage type, with 295 cases. Buildings constructed between 1930 and 1960 concentrated the highest number of recorded cases (639), while the wall area near ground level was the most affected facade unit (499 cases). K-means analysis retained a three-cluster solution, with a Silhouette Score of 0.65 and a BSS/TSS ratio of 86.13%. In addition, K-means cluster analysis was applied to classify damage types according to their frequency after Z-score standardization and validation through Silhouette Score and BSS/TSS metrics. The results demonstrate that the proposed framework enables homogeneous data collection, reproducible classification, and diagnostic interpretation of recurrent facade damage. Beyond the specific findings of the Valencia case study, the main contribution of this work is the development of a transferable assessment framework that can support preventive maintenance protocols, inspection planning, and evidence-based conservation strategies in other urban contexts. Full article

Hydroponic and soilless systems are increasingly adopted as low-cost, sustainable solutions for global food production, yet they remain highly susceptible to contamination by potential toxic elements (PTEs), particularly arsenic. While biochar is widely recognized as an effective amendment for mitigating PTE contamination in soil-based systems, its ability to alleviate PTE stress in hydroponic environments has been largely overlooked. The gap reveals a critical and underexplored frontier in controlled-environment agriculture, where extending biochar-based mitigation strategies could yield substantial benefits. Here, we evaluated whether Acacia auriculiformis wood biochar could alleviate arsenic (As) toxicity in lettuce (Lactuca sativa) grown in a continuous-flow hydroponic system. Using a completely randomized factorial design (arsenic species × dose × biochar) with three independent replicates per treatment, we tested biochar under 0.2 and 0.8 mg/L of As(III) and As(V). Arsenic significantly (p < 0.05) reduced lettuce growth, with As(III) being more toxic than As(V). Biochar significantly (p < 0.05) improved morphological traits (2.4–103%), cell membrane stability (5.5–12%), photosynthetic pigments (3–73%), and stress indicators proline (8–11%) and malondialdehyde (8–14%). Arsenic accumulated mainly in roots (1.7–2.63 mg/kg) and shoots (0.76–1.36 mg/kg), but biochar reduced accumulation by 28–47% in roots and 33–48% in shoots. Additionally, biochar enhanced nutrient uptake (K, P, Ca, Mg, B, Zn, Cu, S, Mn) at both arsenic levels. Overall, the results indicate that Acacia biochar can substantially reduce arsenic toxicity and improve plant physiological responses in continuous-flow hydroponics, highlighting its promise as a viable and scalable mitigation tool for safeguarding soilless food production systems against PTE contamination. Full article

Sustainable landslide hazard mitigation requires scenario-based assessment of nature-based solutions under realistic hydromechanical and multi-hazard conditions. This study evaluates the mechanical effect of Vetiver grass (Chrysopogon zizanioides) on slope stability in Loja, southern Ecuador, through an integrated framework combining geotechnical characterization, direct shear testing, finite element modelling, limit equilibrium analysis, and targeted statistical evaluation. Three fine-grained soils, classified as CH, MH, and ML, were analysed under baseline groundwater conditions, groundwater with an 8 kN/m² surcharge, and groundwater with surcharge plus pseudo-static seismic loading. Vetiver reinforcement increased apparent cohesion by 8.92–27.65% and internal friction angle by 6.90–17.43%, with the highest cohesion gain in ML soil. Numerical results showed that stabilization was controlled by soil type, slope geometry, loading condition, and interaction between the 2.0 m root-reinforced layer and the governing failure mechanism. Under surcharge loading, FS for ML at 0.5H:1V increased from 1.056 to 1.450. Under combined loading, FS increased from 0.217 to 1.440 for ML at 1H:1V and from 0.587 to 2.060 for CH at 1H:1V. Targeted ANOVA/MANOVA for MH soil confirmed the influence of geometry and combined loading. Therefore, Vetiver should be considered a complementary, site-specific, and risk-informed mitigation measure rather than a universal stabilization solution. Full article

Aiming at severe soil secondary salinization, poor water retention and insufficient salt tolerance of conventional acrylic-based modifiers in arid and semi-arid regions of China, a poly(ethylene glycol) maleate citrate (PEGMC) crosslinking monomer was synthesized through esterification, and a dual covalent–hydrogen crosslinked P(PEGMC/AA) hydrogel was fabricated via free radical copolymerization with acrylic acid (AA). The hydrogel was characterized by NMR, FTIR, SEM, TGA and elemental mapping, while its binding mechanism with saline–alkali ions was elucidated through DFT calculations and molecular dynamics simulations. Its amelioration performance was evaluated through swelling, soil water retention, desalination and pot germination experiments. The hydrogel exhibited outstanding water absorbency, salt resistance and dry–wet cycling stability, with swelling ratios of 712 g/g in deionized water and 285 g/g in 0.9% NaCl solution, and remained 200 g/g after four dry–wet cycles. It enhanced soil water retention remarkably (over 93% after 72 h). At 0.30% dosage, soil salt content declined from 7.1 g/kg to 1.3 g/kg with desalination efficiency exceeding 80%, owing to porous physical adsorption and chemical chelation toward Na⁺, Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺, with a binding energy of −136.936 kJ/mol. Pot tests revealed that crop germination rate rose from 19% (blank) to 75% under severe saline–alkali stress. Meanwhile, the hydrogel inhibited nutrient leaching and favored soil-water conservation. This work first incorporated PEGMC monomer into agricultural hydrogels to construct a stable dual crosslinked network, clarifying its synergistic mechanisms for salt fixation and water retention macroscopically and microscopically. It provides a promising functional material and theoretical basis for green, efficient in situ amelioration of dryland saline–alkali soil. Full article

Nitrous oxide (N₂O) is a greenhouse gas that has a global warming potential approximately 300 times that of carbon dioxide (CO₂). It is largely produced in agricultural soils through nitrification and denitrification processes driven by specific microbial functional genes (e.g., amoA, nirS, and nirK), which represent the main source of its emissions. The intensive use of nitrogen fertilizers increases nitrogen surplus in the ecosystem. This in turn accelerates the risk of nitrogen loss through leaching and volatilization, while also accelerating microbial pathways that drive N₂O emissions in the soil. This issue raises severe environmental concerns within the context of global climate change, particularly through the climate-driven escalation of soil salinity, which further alters the microbial community and increases these emissions. Microbial inoculants, including bacteria and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, provide eco-friendly biological solutions to mitigate N₂O emissions from agricultural soils. These inoculants could restore nitrogen balance in the soil by several strategies, such as improving nitrogen use efficiency, competing with native nitrifiers, and upregulating nosZ gene expression. This review highlights the current developments in the utilization of microbial inoculants for N₂O mitigation, focusing on key bacterial genera (e.g., Bradyrhizobium, Dyadobacter, Stutzerimonas, Paenibacillus, and Bacillus) and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF, e.g., Rhizophagus and Funneliformis), as well as the mechanisms used by these microorganisms. It also discusses the potential of using microbial inoculants in saline-affected soils, as well as the link between salinity and N₂O emissions. Based on these insights, this review presents a thorough framework for the prospective use of microbial inoculants as an effective solution to sustainable agriculture while reducing the environmental hazards associated with N₂O emissions, which endanger global food and climate systems. Full article

Gravel soil used as backfill behind rockfall barriers in mountainous roads can extend structural service life and support sustainable resource utilization. However, rainfall-induced erosion may cause soil loss and reduce its buffering capacity. The fibers are short discrete fibers with a length of approximately 12 mm and an average diameter of 32.7 μm, corresponding to an aspect ratio of approximately 367. Reinforcement is achieved through fiber–soil interaction mechanisms, including particle bridging, interfacial friction, and pull-out resistance. The effects of polyurethane and fiber contents on compressive strength, shear strength, and impact resistance were evaluated using response surface methodology. Scanning electron microscopy was used to examine the microstructural features associated with the reinforcement mechanisms, and engineering-scale model tests were conducted to assess erosion and impact resistance under representative service conditions. The results show that polyurethane and fibers produce significant nonlinear enhancement effects on the mechanical properties of gravel soil, mainly through their individual contributions, whereas their interaction is limited. Multi-objective optimization indicates that the optimal mixture contains 6.8% polyurethane and 0.19% fiber, with prediction errors below 5%. The unconfined compressive strength of the gravelly soil increased from 107.6 kPa to 931.5 kPa, representing a 765.7% increase. Cohesion increased from 23.4 kPa to 83.44 kPa, representing a 256.4% increase. The internal friction angle increased from 43.4° to 61.23°, corresponding to a 41.08% increase. Under 1 h of intense rainfall erosion, the stabilized soil exhibited only slight surface particle detachment and maintained overall integrity. In impact tests, the velocity attenuation rate reached 65.6–71.4%. The proposed material provides a sustainable solution for improving buffer layers in rockfall barriers. Full article

High-speed railway embankments constructed over karst-prone ground conditions are often challenged by weak soils and subsurface cavities, which can lead to instability and excessive settlement. This study presents a full-scale field investigation conducted in the El-Gharbaniyat area, west of Alexandria, Egypt, where a pile–cap ground improvement system was implemented to support a high-speed railway embankment founded on clayey and silty soils overlying fractured limestone. A comprehensive site investigation program was performed, including 28 boreholes and integrated geophysical surveys using Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) and Seismic Tomography (ST), enabling improved identification of weak zones and cavity-prone formations. Based on these findings, a pile–cap system was designed using reinforced concrete piles of 0.60 m diameter and an average length of 29 m, arranged in a 4 × 4 m grid and capped with reinforced concrete footings to ensure efficient load transfer to deeper competent strata. The system performance was validated through laboratory testing and full-scale in situ pile load tests. The average 28-day compressive strength of 122 tested piles reached approximately 50 MPa, exceeding the design value by approximately 30%. Load test results showed settlements ranging from 1.08 to 2.76 mm at the working load (2200 kN) and 2.16 to 5.10 mm at the maximum load (3300 kN), all well below allowable limits. Comparative evaluation indicated that the proposed system achieves significant material savings (>90%), lower treatment cost (150 USD/m²), reduced carbon emission (5.7 t per pile), and shorter construction duration (7 h per pile). These findings confirm that the pile–cap system provides a robust, cost-effective, and environmentally efficient solution for ground improvement in karst environments. Full article

Water scarcity in semi-arid regions threatens seed germination and early crop establishment, driving the development of biodegradable Nature-based Solutions to replace synthetic plastic mulches. Porous cellulose membranes were fabricated from rice husk (RH), banana pseudostem (BP), and sugarcane bagasse (SB) by thermo-chemical extraction and high-shear homogenization (n = 5 replicates per membrane type). Membranes were characterized by ATR-FTIR and scanning electron microscopy, confirming removal of non-cellulosic components and biogenic silica preservation in RH, and revealing biomass-dependent porous architectures linked to mechanical and transport behavior. RH produced the most compact fibrillar matrix (compressive strength: 8.16 ± 0.24 MPa; WVT: 170 ± 60 g m⁻² day⁻¹), BP an open interconnected network with superior deformability (9.83 ± 0.25% elongation) and moisture transport (WVT: 400 ± 100 g m⁻² day⁻¹), and SB the highest moisture-retention capacity (215.7 ± 15.8%). Germination assays with Brassica oleracea var. botrytis under water stress showed SB achieved the highest germination rate (90.5 ± 0.99%), confirming that sustained moisture availability governs germination more decisively than transport rate alone. Soil burial tests confirmed biodegradable behavior across all membranes (R² ≥ 0.995; k = 0.043–0.046 day⁻¹). These findings establish a hydrogen-bond-mediated structure–property–function framework for designing biomass-specific cellulose membranes as biodegradable solutions for water-limited agricultural systems. Full article