AgriPept DryShield – PGA Biohydrogel for Drought, Salinity, and Cold Stress

Overview – Smart Biopolymer Protection for Extreme Conditions

AgriPept DryShield is a PGA-based biohydrogel designed to help crops withstand drought, salinity, and temperature extremes by creating a dynamic protective layer around roots and leaves.

Its key ingredient, γ-polyglutamic acid, acts as a superabsorbent biopolymer capable of binding hundreds of times its weight in water, maintaining hydration and ionic balance in the rhizosphere.

DryShield provides cryoprotective and antistress properties, reducing oxidative damage and membrane destabilization under water or thermal stress.

Research published by "Nature" by our co-founder Tomasz Skalski et al. (2023) on the physiological role of PGA under drought conditions shows that the biopolymer activates plant abscisic acid (ABA) signaling — inducing an adaptive “drought alert” response that enhances potassium and phosphorus uptake and preserves photosynthetic efficiency even under severe dehydration.

Mechanism of Action – Adaptive Hydration and Stress Defense

Once applied, DryShield forms a biofilm-like matrix around the root zone and leaf surface, binding water molecules and preventing their evaporation.

This matrix regulates osmotic pressure and ion transport, maintaining cell turgor and stabilizing plant metabolism during prolonged stress.

The cryoprotective function of PGA protects membranes and enzymes from structural damage caused by freezing or high temperatures, ensuring physiological continuity.

DryShield works preventively and curatively: a single early-season application induces a prolonged stress resistance window of up to 60 days, allowing plants to survive water deficits and temperature fluctuations without yield loss.

Field Impact and Environmental Value

Field experiments on cereals, maize, and grass species have demonstrated sustained photosynthetic activity, improved root density, and delayed wilting in DryShield-treated plants under simulated drought.

The product also accelerates the recovery of vegetation after water deficit events, helping maintain biomass and soil cover.

Because DryShield is 100 % biodegradable and free of synthetic polymers, it leaves no residues in the soil or crop tissues.

Benefits

• Enhances drought and salinity tolerance

• Provides cryoprotective and antioxidant protection

• Improves water use efficiency and nutrient transport

• Stimulates ABA-related defense mechanisms

• Maintains photosynthesis and root vitality

• Fully biodegradable and environmentally neutral

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AgriPept DryShield – Biotechnology protecting crops from climate extremes.