Abstract
Excessive use of nitrogen fertilizer and inappropriate fertilization designs have negative results in agricultural ecosystems, such as considerable nitrogen losses through nitrogen dioxide (NO2) soil leaching and ammonia NH3 volatilization. In addition, climate change, with rising summer temperatures and reduced precipitation, leads to production declines and water shortages in the soil. This review aims to highlight the characteristics of natural zeolite and focus on their multiple uses in agriculture. These minerals are tectosilicates showing an open three-dimensional structure involving the cations required to balance the framework electrostatic charge of aluminum and silicon tetrahedral units. Different research groups reported more than fifty natural zeolites; chabazite, clinoptilolite, phillipsite, erionite, stilbite, heulandite, and mordenite are the most well-known. Zeolites are great tools to help the farmer and agronomist cope with several issues, such as soil or water pollution, contamination by heavy metals, loss of nutrients, and loss of water-use efficiency (WUE) of drylands. These natural crystalline aluminosilicates are considered soil conditioners to improve soil chemical and physical properties, such as saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ks), infiltration rate, cation exchange capacity (CEC), and water-holding capacity (WHC). Owing to their properties, these materials are able to reduce nitrate leaching and ammonia volatilization. Zeolites are also known for their carrying capacity of slow-release macronutrients, micronutrients, and fertilizers. However, the potential of these materials in agricultural areas is apparent, and zeolites show the promise of contributing directly to improve agricultural ecosystems as a sustainable product.
Highlights
The discovery of natural zeolites has opened an important chapter in the mineralogy sector owing to their exciting surface and structural properties that have been exploited in many areas: agriculture, industrial technology, animal husbandry, cosmetics and biotechnology industry
On the one hand, considering climate change and rising temperatures, the application of zeolites to the soil or in greenhouses can be a valuable aid for farmers to preserve water content, reduce canopy temperature, and ensure production
Zeolites can be an indispensable tool for reducing polluting emissions and for purifying heavy metals from plant stems, as a result of excessive anthropic pressure over the years
Summary
Eleonora Cataldo 1, * , Linda Salvi 1 , Francesca Paoli 1 , Maddalena Fucile 1 , Grazia Masciandaro 2 , Davide Manzi 3 , Cosimo Maria Masini 3 and Giovan Battista Mattii 1. Application of Zeolites in Agriculture and Other Potential Uses: A Review
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