The invention discloses a water-retaining agent suitable for outdoor pepper planting as well as a preparation method and application thereof, and the water-retaining agent comprises the following components in parts by weight: 5-12 parts of a
sodium lignin sulfonate grafted N-vinyl pyrrolidone
copolymer, 3-5 parts of 3-indoleacetamide, 2-4 parts of a cross-linking agent, 2-3 parts of modified
carboxymethyl chitosan and 2-3 parts of diatomite. According to the water-retaining agent provided by the invention, through the synergistic effect of the
sodium lignin sulfonate grafted N-vinyl pyrrolidone
copolymer, the 3-indoleacetamide, the cassava
starch-
sodium palmitate compound cross-linking agent, the modified
carboxymethyl chitosan and the diatomite, the functions of slowly releasing and controlling
moisture, promoting the growth of peppers and improving the
soil structure are realized; the core requirement of outdoor pepper planting is met.