Study on the Effects of Zeolite and Organic Fertilizers on Soil Quality and Crop Yield

The use of natural zeolite can contribute to the improvement of soil quality. This study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of zeolite and its combination with organic fertilizers on soil quality and crop yield. This chapter analyzes the effects of the use of natural zeolite and its combinations with organic matter in two degraded soils whose location and edaphoclimatic conditions are described below: Soil I. The study was undertaken in the sugarcane growing areas of the northern coast of Villa Clara province in the municipality of Sagua La Grande, the Experimental Station of Sugarcane "Jesus Menendez" is localised at 22081'19" N latitude and 800 03'74" W longitudes. The soil under study was Vertisols (Soil Survey Staff, 1999). Vertisols are very clayey, but plastic under intense water regime. The local climate is clasisified as Aw according to Köppen. Annual rainfall in the study area is 1150 mm and average temperature is 25°C. Soil II. The study was carried out at Copiapo Province, Atacama Desert (Chile), located at 27031'46" south and 70016'00" west. Climate in the region is classified as “cold desert” (BWk) according to the Köppen–Geiger classification (Peel, Finlayson, and McMahon 2007). Mean annual precipitation is 18 mm, with an average temperature of 16.1°C, and 74% relative humidity. Agroecosystems here are highly degraded, comprising recently cultivated saline and non-saline-sodic soils in pre-cordillera topographic conditions at an altitude of 1300m.a.s.l. The soils are classified as Typic Haplocambids Haplocambids – Sodic Xeric Haplocambids (Aridisols), Soil Taxonomy; Haplic Solonchaks-Haplic Solonetz, FAO UNESCO; Haplic Solonchaks-Haplic Solonetz, WRB. In the Soil I the best results on cane yield were obtained with the treatment Z 7.5 t ha-1 + SFC 22.5 t ha-1, which represent a relative increase of 200% vs control wihout fertilization. Relations between soil properties and principal component analysis confirm the good response of zeolite application on soil quality and sugarcane yield. In the Soil II The alfalfa/organic matter/zeolite combinations, in a short period of time (3 years), produced changes in the soil from slightly sodic (ESP = 14.62%) to non-sodic (ESP = 5.32%). The best plant growth responses under semi-controlled conditions were obtained with 8t ha-1 zeolite + 4t ha-1compost. The integrated use of agroecological management considering organic fertilizers, natural minerals and alfalfa leads to mineralogical transformations of the saline and sodic soils under study. This results in the release of assimilable nutrients and the decrease in pH and the ESP.