THRACEAN ZEOLITE PROPERTIES IN AGRICULTURE
ABOUT
Zeolite-clinoptilolite of Thrace is the new dynamic mineral that is mined by Avgi Ltd in a licensed quarry of the company in Thrace and specifically in Komotini-Greece.
Thracean zeolite according to European and Greek legislation meets and exceeds all specifications for use in agriculture as a soil conditioner alone or in combination with the fertilizers we use.
One of the important things to understand in relation to its use in agriculture, is that zeolite is primarily concerned with our land and as a result of this action improves our production.
With the use of zeolite we aim to improve both the qualitative and quantitative characteristics of our production.
The action of zeolite is long-lasting as it does not disintegrate – it wears out like other materials.
PROPERTIES OF ZEOLITE IN AGRICULTURE
It retains up to 70% of its weight in water and gradually releases it through the osmosis and the colloidal systems of the hairs of the root system.- When we have nitrogen fertilizers in the soil solution, due to the hydrolysis the nitrogen that is in the form of urea is converted to ammonia, it is immediately absorbed by the zeolite and it gradually returns to the plant so that we do not have nutritional deficiencies. In this way the fertilizer is released slowly.
- In sandy soils and dry fields, it increases the soil moisture and nitrogen is not washed away and so the nitrogen does not go to the aquifer.
- Balances the pH to neutral, whether we have alkaline or acidic soils. Not suitable for crops such as chestnuts, lemons, blueberries that need acidic soils to grow.
- It has great ion exchange capacity due to the fact that it is the only element of nature that is negatively charged. When applied to saline soils it breaks down sodium chloride (NaCl) gives calcium and retains Sodium (Na), so we have calcium chloride and sodium is bound by zeolite.
- Retains heavy metals such as mercury, lead, strontium, cesium and some major herbicides.
APPLICCATION
Zeolite retains water and nutrients even if our soil is sloping. Its integration is very simple and all we have to pay attention to is to do it at the right height which is 15 to 25 points, at the height that the vast majority of plant roots grow.
In sandy soils the granulometry 0-2.5mm is recommended and in soils with a large percentage of clay the granulometry 2.5-5 mm is recommended.
DETAILS
Natural Zeolite is a mineral component of altered volcanic rock. The unique ability of Zeolite to capture ammonium (NH4+1) is well documented in research. Zeolite holds ammonium through its high cation exchange capacity (CEC) and frees organically bound nitrogen (energy) to plants instead of oxidizing to water soluble nitrates and nitrites that pollute the ground water and the atmosphere as ammonia (gas).
Zeolite is able to store up to 70% of its weight in water in its permeable pore space. This ability to store water maintains soil moisture for plant hydration in dry conditions or arid climates.
The following content highlights land application benefits for plants soils, and the micro-organisms that provide nutrients for plant growth and vitality.
Plant growth
- Significant increase in root and shoot growth due to a higher level of mineralization in the soil and the moisture to deliver plant nutrients.
- Impressive initial growth with Zeolite combined with poultry manure is thought to be due to the increase in nitrifying micro-organisms in the
Soil systems
- Greater runoff and groundwater contamination results from structure less soil lacking the capacity to hold water. Poor soil can result from repeat applications of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium (NPK) fertilizers and failure to maintain soil organic matter (OM) with the addition of livestock waste, compost or digestate. In the latter situation, microbes have limited nutrient sources and rapidly decompose soil OM, resulting in soil that is unable to hold water.
Improved soil structure
- Moderate physical strength, high pore space and permeability provide a material which promotes aeration to provide oxygen in
- Moisture held in the Zeolite channel ways reduces the drying rate of
- Soil improvements benefited plant growth the following season
- Fungal species decreased by half due to the proliferation of mycolitic bacteria
- Calcium exchanged from Zeolite acts as a buffer to reduce acidification
Supports micro-organisms beneficial to plants
- When added to moist soil, Zeolite in combination with a nitrogen source gradually exchanges held ammonium that is oxidized by nitrifying micro-organisms and significantly raises the level of microbials in the
- Zeolite increases aeration for aerobic bacteria
- Provides a moist surface to support micro-organism colonization
Cation Exchange
- Reports indicate approximately 40 to 70 % nitrogen losses from applied fertilizers, which can leach directly to the water table and pollute aquifers. The High CEC (Cation Exchange Capacity) of Zeolite allows it to hold nitrogen (ammonium) from manure and fertilizer, reducing nitrogen losses.
Zeolite has two methods of holding fluids and plant nutrients:
Absorption
Zeolite will absorb water or other liquids. Water and other plant nutrients that are held in this position are loosely held and are water soluble. Water permeates through the growth zone to the aquifer in sandy soils. The addition of Zeolite will hold the water in the growth zone.
Adsorption
- The second method is adsorption by cation exchange. Zeolite is a negatively charged cation exchange agent. As a result of its high cation exchange capacity, Zeolite is able to exchange various cations (ions with a positive charge) into its lattice depending on their molecular size, competing cations, and concentrations. During the cation exchange process, cations move from the Zeolite mineral lattice and are replaced by other cations, which are held in a non-water soluble state within the lattice.
- Zeolite holds cations such as ammonium (nitrogen), potassium, calcium, and other plant nutrients. The cations and plant nutrients are held in the growth zone and are accessible to plants on a demand basis. The nitrogen held in this position will not burn the plant.
Micro-organisms oxidize ammonium (NH4+) exchanged from the Zeolite lattice to gradually deliver nitrate in the plant root zone
Source: https://www.thraceanzeolite.gr/