03/22/07 Zeba. What is it?

A Beaverton, Oregon based company is beginning the third year of sales on a product that could be helpful Idaho potato growers. OLSON "Zeba is a starch based super absorbent polymer that absorbs 400 times its weight in water and can release 90 to 95 percent of it back to the plant. And we manufacture it out of corn starch." Absorbent Technologies vice president for sales Gary Olson says Zeba could be applied in furrow with the potato seed piece at planting. OLSON "And as you irrigate Zeba will absorb moisture, hold it when the plant needs it, so that between irrigations cycles you reduce plant stress." Olson says a Hermiston, Oregon spud farmer had a 3.7 percent rate of return on seven irrigation circles. Olson says commercial growers using Zeba last year didn't really cut back on their water use. OLSON "If it takes three to three and a half days for your center pivot to circle around and you have real hot weather that plant can use a lot of water and Zeba especially in real sandy soils will help hold that water in place until your irrigation comes back around." Zeba is also being used with tomato, pepper, turf, tree fruit and vine crops. Today's Idaho Ag News Bill Scott