Preface Section Ⅰ Water Resources and Water Crisis in China:an Overview 1 The Connotation and Extension of Agricultural Water Resources Security Buchun Liu,X urong Mei,Y uz hong Li & Youlu Yang 2 The Shortage,Pollution and Management of China's Water Resources Xiaohui Lei,M iao Li,W ei Bai,Chuanping Feng,Zhenya Zhang & Guoqiang Liu Section Ⅱ Application of Chemical Water-saving Materials in Agriculture 3 Degraded Lands and Hydrogels:From an Ecological Catastrophe to Economical Profit A loys Hüttermann,Law rence Orikiriza,Hillary Agaba,James Robinson & Michael Seufert 4 The Principle Mechanisms of Action and the Application of Super Absorbent Polymers in Agricultural Production Zhanbin Huang,Maosong Li,Jiazhu Li,Xiaoqian Wang & Pei Li Section Ⅲ New Materials and New Technologies 5 Preparation and Characterization of Nanocomposite Films from Chitin Whisker and Waterborne Poly (ester-urethane ) with or without Ultra-Sonification Treatment Ming Zeng,Yaoqing Wu,Liren Fan,Huina Gao & Aiping Li 6 Effects of Ultra-Sonification Assisting Polyethylene Glycol Pre-Treatment on the CrystallinitYand Accessibility of Cellulose Fiber Ming Zeng,Yaoqing Wu,Liren Fan,Tihe Zheng,Huina Gao & Dong fang Zhou Section Ⅳ The Effect of Water-saving Chemical Materials in Agriculture & Forestry 7 Water Potential Preliminary Study of Superabsorbents and Mineral/ polymer Hybrid Superabsorbents Liren Fan,Ming Zeng,Wenjun Luo,Maosong Li,Jiqing Song,Huina Gao & Huiqing Tian 8 The Effects of Super-absorbent Polymers on the Ponding Infiltration Characteristics of Soil Water Wenbo Bai,Hongrui Zhao,Buchun Liu,Yong feng Wu & Jiqing Song 9 Effect of a Water-Retaining Agent on Photosynthesis and Water Utilization at Different Growth Stages of Winter Wheat Yonghui Yang & Jicheng Wu 10 Effects of PAM on Aggregate Distributions and Stabilities of Three Types of Soils in the Loess Plateau,China Shiwei Zhao,Yonggang Zhao,Lihua Cao & Yonghui Yang 11 Analysis of the Economically Efficient Quantity of a Water Retention Agent in Agricultural Production and Factors Affecting Demand Fugang Shi,Jicheng Wu & Zhanping Yang 12 The Effect of Super Absorbent Polymers on the Growth and Yield Performance of Cotton in Xinjiang,China Chunyan Wang,Maosong Li,Jiqing Song,Shuang He & Wenbo Bai Section Ⅴ Related Studies on Water Use & Drought 13 Adaptive Mechanisms for Drought and the Improvement of Crop Yields in the Arid Xinjiang Area of China A kihiro Isoda,Zhiyuan Li & Peiwu Wang 14 Ecophysiological Strategies for Improving Wheat Water Use in Semi-Arid China Xiping Deng,Bingcheng Xu,Suiqi Zhang,Shushen Yang & Lun Shan 15 Divisions of Seasonal Droughts in HillYareas of Southern China Yong feng Wu,Jiqing Song,Buchun Liu & Wenbo Bai 16 Streamflow Simulation over the Yellow River Basin Using Two Different Resolution of the LRM with RIEMS Lijuan Cao,Wenjie Dong & Jinming Feng Contributing Authors