Modification of Jordanian Zeolite as Slow-release Fertilizers and Soil Conditioner
Zohuir A. Al-Balawna
Jordan Valley Authority Laboratories, Dair Ulla, Al-Balqa, Jordan, United Arab Emirates.
Ideisan I. Abu-Abdoun
*
Department of Chemistry, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Zeolites are alumina- silicate minerals that can lose, absorb water and various ions and gases. Grinned zeolites rock is treated with selected natural material and used as environmentally friendly slow release fertilizer and found to improvement physical and chemical properties of soil. This natural mixture product can release slowly important salts of phosphate (PO4 2−) and sulphate (SO 4-) of the elements: potassium (K+), Calcium (Ca 2+), Magnesium (Mg 2+), iron (Fe3+), Zinc (Zn 2+), Manganese (Mn 2+), Copper (Cu 2+) in the zeolites porous structure which is expected to release nutrients and even micronutrients leaching throughout crop growth and improve soil fertility and water use efficiency.
To the grinded zeolite rocks having sizes from 0 - 4.0 mm four selected materials were added to produce an efficient slow release fertilizer named modified Zeolite, which is evaluated as fertilizer and soil conditioner for selected plants in this study, and there use found to reduce both the amount of chemical fertilizer, and irrigation water consumption, increase in plant growth in terms of quality and quantity was reported, another aspect is a decrease in the soil pH and electron conductivity upon using the prepared modified Zeolite.
Keywords: Jordanian zeolite, slow-release fertilizers, soil conditioner, soil amendment. electron conductivity, soil pH, modified zeolite. Jordan valley, water conservation