Effect of hydrogel incorporated growing media under various irrigation intervals on growth and quality of golden pothos (Epipremnum aureum Linden and Andre) for a vertical garden

Introduction

Climate change has intensified the need for sustainable living spaces, and vertical gardens are emerging as effective tools to improve air quality and reduce urban heat while enhancing aesthetics (Payak et al., 2021) [1] . With shrinking land availability and rising high-rises, vertical gardens have become a key component of modern garden design (Kumar, 2018) [2] . The success of these systems largely depends on the growing medium, where alternatives like cocopeat, vermicompost, and biochar have shown promise in supporting plant growth (Lehmann et al., 2011; Rajkovich et al., 2012) [3,4] . Biochar, in particular, improves soil properties and carbon sequestration, while carbonized rice husks enhance water retention (Haefele et al., 2009) [5] . Hydrogels further contribute by conserving water, improving soil porosity, and supporting ornamental plant growth under moisture stress (Changela et al., 2022) [6] . Together, these innovations highlight the potential of vertical gardens as climate-resilient solutions for urban environments.

Materials and Methods

The study, titled "Effect of Hydrogel-Incorporated Growing Media under Various Irrigation Intervals on Golden Pothos (Epipremnum aureum) for Vertical Garden", was conducted in summer 2024 at the College of Horticulture, Rajendranagar. Using a Factorial Completely Randomized Design with 15 treatments and 3 replications, Golden Pothos plants were grown in 4 × 5 inch pots. Media combinations enriched with 2 doses of hydrogel (20 g or 40 g) and three irrigation intervals (alternate day, once in three days, and once in five days) were tested to evaluate their impact on plant growth and quality, with results analyzed and interpreted through statistical methods and prior research. Media compositions are M₁ -Cocopeat+ Red Earth + Vermicompost + Ricehusk Biochar (2:1:1:1) + 20 g hydrogel, M₂ -Cocopeat + Red earth + Vermicompost + Ricehusk Biochar (2:1:1:1) + 40 g hydrogel, M 3 -Cocopeat + Red Earth + Vermicompost + Wood Biochar (2:1:1:1) + 20 g hydrogel, M 4 -Cocopeat + Red Earth + Vermicompost + Wood Biochar (2:1:1:1) +40 g hydrogel, M 5 -Red earth (Control). The three irrigation intervals are I 1 -one day irrigation interval, I 2 -three days irrigation interval and I 3 -five days irrigation interval.

The height of the plant or vine length was measured using a measuring scale from base of stem till tip of vine at 45 and 90 days after planting and the mean plant height was calculated and expressed in centimeters.

Number of branches per vine

The number of branches per plant was counted at 45 and 90 days after planting and the mean number of the branches per plant was calculated.

Number of leaves per vine

The number of leaves per vine was counted at 45 and 90 days after planting and the mean number of the leaves per plant was calculated.

The stem diameter was measured using a venire calipers at 45 and 90 days after planting and the mean stem diameter was calculated and expressed in millimeters.

The petiole length was measured from the point of emergence to the stem leaf interaction point using a measuring scale at the 45 and 90 days after planting and the mean petiole length was calculated and expressed in centimeters.

The leaf area was measured at 90 DAP using leaf area meter and the mean leaf area was calculated and expressed in centimeters square.

Number of roots

90 DAP with the help of sharp blade roots were separated from the cuttings on the paper and numbers of roots were counted on each selected plant. Mean number of roots per plant or vine calculated.

Statistical Analysis

The data obtained from all the above experiment were tabulated and subjected to statistical analysis (ANOVA) as per the method given by panse and sukhatme (1985). The appropriate standard error of mean SE (m+/-) and the critical difference (CD) were calculated at 5% level of significance. The data have been depicted by suitable graphs and graphs and with appropriate tables.

Results and Discussion

Plant height (cm) At both 45 and 90 days after planting, vine length of Golden Pothos was significantly influenced by hydrogel-enriched growing media, irrigation intervals, and their interactions. At 45 and 90 DAP, the maximum vine lengths (23.46, 35.74 cm) was recorded in M 2 (Cocopeat + Red earth + Vermicompost + Rice husk biochar with 40 g hydrogel), while the shortest (18.17, 28.16 cm) was in M 5 (Red earth). Irrigation intervals showed similar trends, with the one-day interval (I 1 ) producing the longest vines (24.86, 36.68 cm), compared to three-day (I 2 , 21.09, 32.73 cm) and five-day (I 3 , 18.16, 29.48 cm). The interaction effect was most pronounced in M 2 I 1 (27.26, 38.56 cm), whereas the lowest (16.08, 26.40 cm) was in M 5 I 3 . The results are in coordination with Asadi et al. (2021) [44] , Li et al. (2023) [47] , Dawlatzai et al. (2018) [45] , Sahana and Sugirtharan (2021) [46] . These results confirm that rice husk biochar and hydrogels, combined with frequent irrigation, significantly enhanced vine elongation by improving soil structure, nutrient retention, and water availability, whereas longer irrigation intervals restricted growth due to moisture stress.

Number of Branches

The number of branches in Golden Pothos was significantly influenced by hydrogel-enriched media, irrigation intervals, and their interactions at both 45 and 90 days after planting. At 45 and 90 DAP, the maximum branch count (1.31, 1.58) was recorded in M 2 (Cocopeat + Red earth + Vermicompost + Rice husk biochar with 40 g hydrogel), while the lowest count (1.02, 1.07) was observed in M 5 (Red earth). Irrigation intervals showed a similar trend, with I 1 (one-day interval) producing the highest branch count (1.41, 1.77) and the lowest in I 3 (1.00, 1.03). The interaction effect was most pronounced in M 2 I 1 (1.60, 2.00), while the minimum (1.00, 1.00) was noted in M 5 I 3 . The superior performance of rice husk biochar (RHB) in M 2 I 1 can be attributed to its ability to improve soil fertility, nutrient retention, and water-holding capacity, thereby enhancing vegetative growth (Ahmad, 2016; Vural et al., 2025) [7,8] . Hydrogels also played a critical role, as higher concentrations increased water availability around roots, buffered plants against moisture stress, and promoted branching through enhanced cell division and elongation (Johnson & Woodhouse, 1991; Mohebi, 2019; Kumar et al., 2018; Anupama et al., 2005) [9,10,13,14] . Frequent irrigation further supported branch proliferation, as higher soil moisture improved plant water potential and vegetative growth, consistent with earlier findings in various crops (Mishra et al., 2019; Piri & Sharma, 2006) [11,12] .

Number of Leaves

At both 45 and 90 DAP, leaf count per vine in Golden Pothos was significantly influenced by hydrogel-enriched media, irrigation intervals, and their interactions. At 45 and 90 DAP, M 2 (cocopeat + red earth + vermicompost + rice husk biochar + 40 g hydrogel) recorded the highest leaf number (15.52, 20.08), while the lowest was in M 5 (8.66, 14.93). Irrigation intervals showed similar trends, with I 1 (one-day interval) producing the maximum (15.91, 20.65) and I 3 (five-day interval) the minimum (10.91, 16.05). The interaction effect peaked in M 2 I 1 (18.60, 22.40), while M 5 I 3 (7.60, 13.57) was the lowest. These findings highlight the synergistic role of rice husk biochar and hydrogel in enhancing leaf proliferation by improving soil porosity, nutrient uptake, and moisture retention (Masinde et [15,16,17] . Hydrogel further boosted leaf production by maintaining soil moisture and nutrient supply (Johnson & Woodhouse, 1990) [9] . Frequent irrigation also promoted leaf growth, consistent with earlier reports in chrysanthemum (Goto et al., 2001) [18] , mustard (Mishra et al., 2019; Singh & Singh, 2014) [12,20] , and other crops (Hassanein, 2015) [19] .

At both 45 and 90 DAP, stem diameter of Golden Pothos was significantly influenced by hydrogel-enriched media, irrigation intervals, and their interactions. At 45 and 90 DAP, the largest stem diameter was recorded in M 2 (4.60, 4.71 mm) while the smallest was in M 5 (3.40, 3.48 [15,16,21] . Hydrogel supplementation further promoted vascular differentiation and stronger stems through gradual water release (Mangaiyarkarasi et [22,23,24] . Frequent irrigation also supported stem diameter expansion by maintaining plant water status, consistent with studies in grapevine and carnation (Ru et al., 2021; Kazaz et al., 2010) [25,26] . Overall, hydrogel-enriched biochar media combined with alternate day irrigation (I1) consistently produced the thickest stems, highlighting their synergistic role in vegetative growth.

At both 45 and 90 DAP, petiole length of Golden Pothos was significantly influenced by hydrogel-enriched media, irrigation intervals, and their interactions. At 45 and 90 DAP, the longest petiole was recorded in M 2 (9.91, 10.33 cm), while the shortest was in M 5 (7.98, 8.27 cm). Irrigation intervals showed clear differences, with I 1 (10.01, 10.39 cm) outperforming I 2 (9.24, 9.64 cm) and I 3 (8.35, 8.62 cm). The maximum interaction effect was observed in M 2 I 1 (10.95, 11.50 cm), while the lowest was in M 5 I 3 (7.46, 7.76 cm). These results highlight the synergistic role of rice husk biochar and hydrogel in enhancing petiole elongation by improving silicon enrichment, porosity, and water retention (Karam et [16,17,27,28] . Hydrogel supplementation sustained turgor pressure and promoted cell elongation in petiole tissues (Madhu Bala, 2018; Vidyashree, 2018; Kumar et al., 2016) [24,29,30] . Frequent irrigation further supported continuous cell expansion, consistent with findings in taro, clover, and thale cress (Silva et al., 2008; Enkhbat et al., 2022; Tsukaya et al., 2002) [31,32] . Overall, M 2 I 1 consistently produced the longest petioles at both stages, confirming that hydrogel-enriched biochar media combined with daily irrigation is most effective for vegetative growth.

At both 45 and 90 DAP, leaf area of Golden Pothos was significantly influenced by hydrogel-enriched media, irrigation intervals, and their interactions. At 45 and 90 DAP, the maximum leaf area was recorded in M 2 (28.42, 36.53 cm²), while the lowest was in M 5 (19.36, 25.48 cm²). Irrigation intervals showed clear differences, with I 1 (29.84, 38.21 cm²) outperforming I 2 (25.73, 34.03 cm²) and I 3 (20.15, 25.90 cm²). The highest interaction effect was observed in M 2 I 1 (32.10, 42.70 cm²), while the lowest was in M 5 I 3 (17.80, 22.01 cm²). These findings confirm that biochar enhances microbial activity and nutrient uptake, thereby increasing leaf area (Graber, 2010) [35] . Hydrogel supplementation improved water retention and sustained turgor pressure, promoting leaf expansion (Al-Harbi et al., 1999; Yazdani et al., 2007) [33,34] . Frequent irrigation further supported leaf development, consistent with reports linking water stress to reduced cell division and smaller leaf area (Rascio et al., 1990 [36,37,38] . Overall, M2I1 consistently produced the largest leaf area at both stages, highlighting the synergistic role of hydrogelenriched biochar media with daily irrigation in maximizing vegetative growth.

Number of roots

At both 45 and 90 DAP, root number in Golden Pothos was significantly influenced by hydrogel-enriched media, irrigation intervals, and their interactions. At 45 and 90 DAP, the maximum root count was recorded in M 2 (5.42, 6.87), while the lowest was in M 5 (2.05, 2.23). Irrigation intervals showed clear differences, with I 1 (6.12, 7.66) outperforming I 2 (4.36, 4.92) and I 3 (2.45, 2.84). The highest interaction effect was observed in M 2 I 1 (7.80, 10.00), while the lowest was in M 5 I 3 (1.90, 2.00). These findings confirm that rice husk biochar improves soil structure, porosity, and nutrient retention, thereby enhancing root initiation and branching ( [15,16,17,28,39] . Hydrogel supplementation sustained moisture availability, promoting continuous root elongation and lateral root formation (Madhubala, 2018; Deenavarman & Lourdusamy, 2018; Singh et al., 2020) [23,29,40] . Frequent irrigation further supported root proliferation, consistent with studies in soybean, rice, and grapevine where higher water availability enhanced root growth (Bui et [26,41,42,43] . Overall, M 2 I 1 consistently produced the highest root counts at both stages, highlighting the synergistic role of hydrogel-enriched biochar media with daily irrigation in maximizing root development. Red earth(control)

Conclusion

From the study demonstrated we can say that Golden Pothos growth parameters-including vine length, branch number, leaf count, stem diameter, petiole length, leaf area, and root number-were consistently maximized in M 2 (cocopeat + red earth + vermicompost + rice husk biochar in 2:1:1:1 ratio along with 40 g hydrogel/5kg media) under alternate day irrigation (I 1 ). In contrast, the lowest values were observed in M 5 (red earth alone) with five-day irrigation (I 3 ). These findings may confirm that the synergistic use of rice husk biochar and hydrogel, combined with frequent irrigation, significantly enhances vegetative growth and root development by improving soil structure, nutrient retention, and water availability. Among all tested combinations, we can say that M 2 I 1 proved optimal, ensuring maximum vegetative performance of Golden Pothos under vertical garden conditions.

References

1. Payak M, Pandya D, Mankad A, Pandya H. Study of selected vertical gardens of Ahmedabad city. Int J Ecol Environ Sci. 2021;3(2):248-251.
2. Kumar RS. Studies on vertical garden system: a new landscape concept for urban living space. J Floric Landsc. 2018;4:1-4.
3. Lehmann J, Rillig MC, Thies J, Masiello CA, Hockaday WC, Crowley D. Biochar effects on soil biota: a review. Soil Biol Biochem. 2011;43(9):1812-1836.
4. Rajkovich S, Enders A, Hanley K, Hyland C, Zimmerman AR, Lehmann J. Corn growth and nitrogen nutrition after additions of biochars with varying properties to a temperate soil. Biol Fertil Soils. 2012;48(3):271-284.
5. Haefele SM, Knoblauch C, Gummert M, Konboon Y, Koyama S. Black carbon (biochar) in rice-based systems: characteristics and opportunities. In: Amazonian dark earths: Wim Sombroek's vision. Dordrecht: Springer; 2009. p. 445-463.
6. Changela Y, Bhatt DS, Tandel BM, Bhatt ST, Patel HM. Prospective of hydrogel for ornamental plants. Pharma Innov J. 2022;11(10):1343-1347.
7. Ahmad M. Biochar application for land reclamation: enhancing soil fertility and nutrient use efficiency. J Soils Sediments. 2016;16(6):939-953.
8. Vural GY, Erdem H, Yıldız K. Optimizing biochar applications for improved growth and nutritional quality of basil plants using rice and corn biochars. Turk J Agric Food Sci Technol. 2025;13(4):941-945.
9. Woodhouse J, Johnson MS. Effect of superabsorbent polymers on survival and growth of crop seedlings. Agric Water Manag. 1991;20(1):63-70.
10. Mohebi A. Effects of superabsorbents on growth and physiological responses of date palm seedlings under water deficit conditions. Int Palm J. 2019;6(1):77-88.
11. Piri ISSA, Sharma SN. Physiological analysis of growth and yield of Indian mustard as affected by irrigation and sulphur. Indian J Plant Physiol. 2006;11(3):253-260.
12. Mishra J, Singh RK, Yadaw D, Das A, Sahoo S. Effect of tillage and irrigation frequency on growth of Indian mustard [Brassica juncea (L.) Czern & Coss.]. Int J Chem Stud. 2019;7:2127-2130.
13. Kumar RR, Nadukeri S, Kolakar SS, Hanumanthappa M, Shivaprasad M, Dhananjaya BN. Effect of hydrogel on growth, fresh yield and essential oil content of ginger (Zingiber officinale Rosc.). J Pharmacogn Phytochem. 2018;7(3):482-485.
14. Anupama MC, Singh KP, Singh DP, Sirohi NPS. Response studies in chrysanthemum (Dendranthema grandiflora) plugs grown in gel-amended media. J Ornamental Hortic. 2005;8(3):225-227.
15. Masinde PW, Wahome BM. Effect of rice husk biochar on evapotranspiration, vegetative growth and fruit yield of greenhouse tomato. Afr J Food Agric Nutr Dev. 2022;22(5):20280-20299.
16. Adebajo SO, Akintokun PO, Ojo AE, Ajamu IA. Effects of rice husk biochar on growth characteristics, rhizospheric microflora and yield of tomato plants. J Agric Sci Environ. 2019;19(1):60-72.
17. Rema B, Shipa RD, Geeta K. Impact of rice husk biochar and inorganic amendments on growth attributes of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). J Pharmacogn Phytochem. 2019;8(3):185-188.
18. Goto T, Takaya N, Yoshioka N, Yoshida Y, Kageyama Y, Konishi K. Effects of water and nutrient stresses on vegetative growth reduction in chrysanthemum. J Jpn Soc Hortic Sci. 2001;70(6):760-766.
19. Hassanein AM. Effects of irrigation and fertilization methods on growth and flowering of potted chrysanthemum. J Hort Sci Ornamental Plants. 2015;7(3):80-86.
20. Singh PK, Singh AK. Effect of sowing dates and irrigation scheduling on growth and yield of mustard (Brassica juncea L.). J Progressive Agric. 2014;5(2):18-21.
21. Varela Milla O, Rivera EB, Huang WJ, Chien C, Wang YM. Agronomic properties of rice husk and wood biochars and their effect on water spinach growth. J Soil Sci Plant Nutr. 2013;13(2):251-266.
22. Mangaiyarkarasi R, Thamaraiselvi SP, Arunkumar P. Effects of hydrogel on growth and development of foliage plants. J Pharmacogn Phytochem. 2020;9(2):1567-1568.
23. Deenavarman M, Lourdusamy DK. Effect of Pusa hydrogel-incorporated media on growth and watering frequency of arrowhead (Syngonium podophyllum). Ann Hortic. 2018;11(1):67-69.
24. Kumar AT, Kameswari PL, Girwani A. Impact of Pusa hydrogel on floral characters and yield of pot mums. Int J Agric Sci Res. 2016;6:195-200.
25. Kazaz S, Ucar Y, Askin MA, Aydinsakir K, Senyigit U, Kadayifci A. Effects of irrigation regimes on yield and quality of carnation. Sci Res Essays. 2010;5(19):2921-2930.
26. Ru C, Hu X, Wang W, Ran H, Song T, Guo Y. Stem diameter variation signals for diagnosing drip irrigation deficit in grapevine. Horticulturae. 2021;7(6):154.
27. Karam DS, Nagabovanalli P, Rajoo KS, Ishak CF, Abdu A, Rosli Z, et al. Rice husk biochar preparation, properties and agricultural application: a review. J Saudi Soc Agric Sci. 2022;21(3):149-159.
28. Kartika K, Lakitan B, Wijaya A, Kadir S, Widuri LI, Siaga E, et al. Effects of rice husk biochar particle size and rate on soil properties and rice yield. Aust J Crop Sci. 2018;12(5):817-826.
29. Madhu Bala. Effect of Pusa hydrogel-incorporated potting media on foliage plants of Philodendron xanadu. Bull Environ Pharmacol Life Sci. 2018;8(1):95-98.
30. Vidyashree NH. Studies on efficacy of Pusa hydrogel and vermiwash on foliage quality of Philodendron martianum [PhD thesis]. Bengaluru: University of Agricultural Sciences; 2018.
31. Tsukaya H, Kozuka T, Kim GT. Genetic control of petiole length in Arabidopsis thaliana. Plant Cell Physiol. 2002;43(10):1221-1228.
32. Enkhbat G, Ryan MH, Nichols PG, Foster KJ, Inukai Y, Erskine W. Petiole length reduction as an indicator of waterlogging stress. Plant Soil. 2022;475(1):645-667.
33. Al-Harbi AR, Al-Omran AM, Shalaby AA, Choudhary MI. Decline in efficacy of hydrophilic polymer with time. J Hortic Sci. 1999;34(2):223-224.
34. Yazdani F, Allahdadi I, Akbari GA. Impact of superabsorbent polymer on soybean under drought stress. Pak J Biol Sci. 2007;10(23):4190-4196.
35. Graber ER, Meller Harel Y, Kolton M, Cytryn E, Silber A, Rav David D, et al. Biochar impact on pepper and tomato productivity in soilless media. Plant Soil. 2010;337:481496.
36. Rascio A, Cedola MC, Toponi M, Flagella Z, Wittmer G. Leaf morphology and water status in durum wheat under stress. Physiol Plant. 1990;78(3):462-467.
37. Beese F, Horton R, Wierenga PJ. Growth and yield response of chile pepper to trickle irrigation. Agron J. 1982;74(3):556-561.
38. Adeoye PA, Adesiji RA, Oloruntade AJ, Njemanze C. Effect of irrigation intervals on bell pepper yield. Am J Exp Agric. 2014;4(5):515-524.
39. Thavanesan S, Seran TH. Effect of rice straw and husk biochar on rice growth and yield. Int J Crop Sci Technol. 2018;4(2):49-56.
40. Singh S, Mishra S, Jamwal SS, Bahadur V. Effect of Pusa hydrogel and PGRs on strawberry. Int Res J Pure Appl Chem. 2020;21(6):17-24.
41. Bui KT, Naruse T, Yoshida H, Toda Y, Omori Y, Tsuda M, et al. Irrigation effects on soybean root growth. Front Plant Sci. 2022;13:1047563.
42. Yang X, Fan J, Ge J, Luo Z. Effect of activated water irrigation on hydroponic rice and wheat. Agronomy. 2022;12(5):1068.
43. Zhang L, Li L, Tang Q, Xu H, Zheng H, Wang F, et al. Intermittent irrigation for reduced emissions and higher yields in ratoon rice. Plant Soil. 2024;501(1):225-236.
44. Asadi H, Ghorbani M, Rezaei-Rashti M, Abrishamkesh S, Amirahmadi E, Chen CH, Gorji M. Rice husk biochar for sustainable agriculture and environment. Rice Sci. 2021;28(4):325-343.
45. Dawlatzai AS, Jayanthi R, Prasad SS, Deeksha N. Efficacy of Pusa hydrogel in coleus potting media. Int J Chem Stud. 2018;6(5):3225-3228.
46. Sahana MF, Sugirtharan M. Effect of irrigation intervals on chilli in sandy soil. AGRIEAST J Agric Sci. 2021;15(1).
47. Li Z, Zheng Z, Li H, Xu D, Li X, Xiang L, et al. Rice husk biochar as an adsorbent for soil and water remediation: a review. J Plant Sci. 2023;12(7):1524.