A study on the possibility of the preparation of superabsorbent hydrogels based on crosslinked carboxymethyl cellulose polymer and acrylamide monomer through electron-beam irradiation was carried out. The effects of the irradiation dose and polymer-monomer compositions on the crosslinking density were studied. The hydrophilic properties of the superabsorbent hydrogels were identified by the swelling percentage. The prepared hydrogels had higher swelling in distilled water than in salt solutions, Moreover, the hydrogels exhibited the highest swelling at pH 7. Also, increasing the temperature up to 50 degrees C caused an increase in the swelling. The thermal properties of the hydrogels were characterized with thermogravimetric analysis. The use of the prepared superabsorbent hydrogels for the growth of rice was also investigated through the water-retention property. The water retention in the soil was enhanced with the hydrogels. Superabsorbent hydrogels based on carboxymethyl cellulose polymer and acrylamide monomer could be considered as water-managing materials for agriculture and horticulture in desert and drought-prone areas. (c) 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.