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Title: CLINOPTILOLITE ZEOLITE AND CELLULOSE AMENDMENTS TO REDUCE AMMONIA VOLATILIZATION IN A CALCAREOUS SANDY SOIL

Author
item HE, Z - UNIV OF FLORIDA,FT PIERCE
item CALVERT, D - UNIV OF FLORIDA,FT PIERCE
item ALVA, ASHOK
item LI, Y - UNIV OF FLORIDA,HOMESTEAD
item BANKS, D - UNIV OF FLORDIA,FT PIERCE

Submitted to: Plant and Soil
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/25/2002
Publication Date: 8/1/2002
Citation: HE, Z.L., CALVERT, D.V., ALVA, A.K., LI, Y.C., BANKS, D.J. CLINOPTILOLITE ZEOLITE AND CELLULOSE AMENDMENTS TO REDUCE AMMONIA VOLATILIZATION IN A CALCAREOUS SANDY SOIL. PLANT AND SOIL JOURNAL, 247:253-260. 2002.

Interpretive Summary: Application of nitrogen fertilizers to agricultural production, in some cases, depending on the mangement practices and climatic conditions, contribute to nitrogen losses by nitrate leaching and/or gaseous loss of nitrogen as volatilization of ammonia. Some amendments could mitigate these losses. In this study, the effects of cellulose and zeolite on the above losses were evaluated in a Riviera fine sand. The above amendments decreased the ammonia volatilization losses from either ammonium nitrate, ammonium sulfate or urea. The above effect was much greater when both amendments were used as compared to using a single amendment. Cellulose is an important source of carbon required by soil microbes, which consume part of the ammonium nitrogen, thus, prevents that from being lost by volatilization. The portion of nitrogen consumed by the microbes is released slowly and becomes available to crop plants. Therefore, this portion of nitrogen acts as a slow release N form. Application of zeolite favors increased retention of ammonium ion by an increase in net negative charges in the soil.

Technical Abstract: Leaching of nitrate (NO3-) below the root zone and gaseous losses of nitrogen (N) such as ammonia (NH3) volatilization, are major mechanisms of N loss from agricultural soils. New techniques to minimize such losses are needed to maximize N uptake efficiency and minimize production costs and the risk of potential N contamination of ground and surface waters. The effects of cellulose (C), clinoptilolite zeolite (CZ), or a combination of both (C+CZ) on NH3 volatilization and N transformation in a calcareous Riviera fine sand (loamy, siliceous, hyperthermic, Arenic Glossaqualf) from a citrus grove were investigated in a laboratory incubation study. Ammonia volatilization from NH4NO3 (AN), (NH4)2SO4(AS), and urea (U) applied at 200 mg N kg-1 soil decreased by 2.5-, 2.1- and 0.9-fold, respectively, with cellulose application at 15 g kg-1 and by 4.4-, 2.9- and 3.0-fold, respectively, with CZ application at 15 g kg-1 as compared with that from the respective sources without the amendments. Application of cellulose plus CZ (each at 15 g kg-1) was the most effective in decreasing NH3 volatilization. Application of cellulose increased the microbial biomass, which was responsible for immobilization of N, and thus decreased volatilization loss of NH3-N. The effect of CZ, on the other hand, may be due to increased retention of NH4 in the ion-exchange sites. The positive effect of interaction between cellulose and CZ amendment on microbial biomass was probably due to improved nutrient retention and availability to microorganisms in the soil. Thus, the amendments provide favorable conditions for microbial growth. These results indicate that soil amendment of CZ or CZ plus organic materials such as cellulose has great potential in reducing fertilizer N loss in sandy soils.