Effect of zeolites on soil modification and productivity

¹ Tatar Scientific Research Institute of Agrochemistry and Soil Science, FRC Kazan Scientific Center, Russian Academy of Sciences, 420059 Kazan, Russia
² Kazan State Academy of Veterinary Medicine named after N.E. Bauman, 420029 Kazan, Russia

^* Corresponding author: liliyaagro@mail.ru

Abstract

Local natural zeolite-containing rocks use efficiency in agriculture of the Republic of Tatarstan was studied in the research. The research was conducted in the field on leached black soil applying mechanoactivated zeolites and in greenhouses on grey forest soil using nanostructured zeolite. Field experiments identified the soil deacidification of 0.4 pH_sol, increase of assimilable phosphates of the 1^st and 2^nd groups (Ca-P1 и Ca-P2) – of 5.0 and 6.6 mg per 100 g of soil. Moreover, the research considered the increasing the mobile phosphorus available to plants – of 8.0 and 10.0 mg/kg and exchange potassium of 5.0 and 6.6 mg/kg according to the doses of zeolite of 10 and 15 t/ha. Improving the activity of microflora in rhizosphere and growth acceleration of microbial biomass to 15.5 mg per 100 g*h were observed. The average annual grain yield gain was 0.3 and 0.5 t/ha, and the payback of 1 ton of zeolite by additional harvest 0.11 and 0.09 t/ha in grain units respectively. Improvement in the reaction of the soil environment was stated in the vegetative conditions on gray forest soil using nanostructured zeolite in doses of 0.1 and 1.0 t/ha, a positive shift in pH_sol, was 0.97 and 0.9 units respectively. Under the influence of mechanically activated celite at a dose of 15 t/ha, soil acidity decreased by 0.99 pH_sol units. The use of nanostructured zeolite contributed to an increase of the reserves of ammonia nitrogen in the soil – by 0.8 and 2.4 mg/kg, mobile phosphorus – by 6.0 and 33.0 mg/kg, and exchangeable potassium – by 3.0 and 5.5 mg/kg respectively at doses of 0.1 and 1.0 t/ha respectively. The growth of microbial biomass was up to 24.0 mg/100 g*h. Additional grain gains were obtained: under the influence of mechanically activated zeolite at a dose of 15 t/ha – 8.6 g/vessel and nanostructured analog at a dose of 0.1 t/ha – 7.3 g/vessel, which were comparable at the consumption of the latter 150 times less.