Abstract
Zeolites can mitigate ammonium losses to the environment by taking up the ions from sources such as farmyard manure and ammonium-bearing fertilizers. This ability can improve nitrogen fertilizing practice given that ammonium ions loaded onto zeolite are available for plant uptake. The main goal of this study was to assess the influence of zeolite (clinoptilolite) and ammonia-loaded clinoptilolite on growth and yield of red clover (Trifolium pratense L.), as well as their influence on the microbial dynamics in soil. Plants sown in pots were cut four times, and dry matter yield (DM) of each harvest was weighed. The number of culturable bacteria, moulds, ammonifiers, Azotobacter sp. and actinomycetes was determined at the beginning of the experiment, and after each harvest. Two control treatments (soil without fertilizer and soil supplemented with mineral fertilizer - CAN) were included in the study. The application of ammonia-loaded clinoptilolite positively and significantly affected the microbial activity and provided higher yields (from 4.9 g/pot in ammonia-loaded clinoptilolite treatment to 4.3 g/pot in soil with zeolite treatment). Our results suggest that the addition of clinoptilolite to organic fertilizers (manure, composts) could be recommended. The increase of microbial communities’ abundances and their activity represented the key benefit from clinoptilolite application.
Highlights
Quantification of soil microbial populations and dehydrogenase activity Microbiological analyses were conducted at the beginning of the experiment and after every cut
The application of pure zeolite CLI did not significantly improve the biomass production during the experimental period, and the recorded total dry matter yield was significantly lower compared to total dry matter yield obtained with ammonia-loaded zeolite CLI treatment
At the end of the experiment the largest rise of total bacteria population was noted in treatments amended with zeolite CLI, especially, in substrate enriched with ammonia-loaded zeolite CLI
Summary
The treatments were as follows: a) soil without fertilizer (control); b) soil with zeolite CLI (10 g kg-1); c) soil with ammonia-loaded zeolite CLI (10 g kg-1); d) nitrogen application through mineral fertilizer Calcium ammonium nitrate (100 kg ha-1 N, 27% nitrogen content, 41.7 mg N kg-1 soil). Quantification of soil microbial populations and dehydrogenase activity Microbiological analyses were conducted at the beginning of the experiment and after every cut. The application of pure zeolite CLI did not significantly improve the biomass production during the experimental period, and the recorded total dry matter yield was significantly lower compared to total dry matter yield obtained with ammonia-loaded zeolite CLI treatment.
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