Effects of β-glucan and Xanthan gum-based Biopolymers on Plant Growth and Competition in the Riverbank

A biopolymer based on microorganism-derived β-glucan and xanthan gum is being studied as a new eco-friendly material that stabilizes the riverbank slope, and also promotes vegetation growth. However, it is still inconclusive whether biopolymers have a positive effect on plant performance in the riverbanks which are subjected to various climatic factors and plant competitions. For a practical ecological evaluation of the biopolymers, their effect on plant growth promotion was studied in a natural environment. Considering the relationship between competition and plant community formation, the effects of biopolymers on competition were also investigated. For four plant species (Echinochloa crus-galli, Pennisetum alopecuroides, Leonurus japonicus, and Coreopsis lanceolata), the biopolymer effects under intra/interspecific competition were tested at the riverbank (20 m × 10 m) near Samjigyo Bridge in Damyang-gun, Jeollanam-do. A biopolymer powder was mixed with water and commercial soil following the manufacturer’s recommendations. The soil mixed with the biopolymer was filled in a pot or applied to the surface of the commercial soil with a thickness of 3 cm. Across the competition treatments, the biopolymer treatment promoted root growth of the target plant species and decreased the specific leaf area. The total biomass and shoot dry weight of P. alopecuroides increased in response to the biopolymer treatment. The competition treatment decreased the total biomass and shoot dry weight compared to the case without competition. Notably, such a competitive effect was similar in all the biopolymer treatments. Thus, biopolymers, when mixed with soil, promote the growth of some plant species, but do not appear to affect the competitive ability of plants.