Effects of Zeolite on Nitrogen Fertilizer Efficiency for Corn

Zeolites with their crystallized structures which with their pores act on sieve and due to having open channels in their net, let to some ions by passing and acting as dam on going way of some other ions. There is some cations such as NH4 and K in their structure. Using of this material in soil may improve nitrogen efficiency and reduces its loss. A factorial experiment in a completely randomized design with three replications was performed in a green-house study to evaluation the effects of zeolite on corn shoot yield and nitrogen efficiency in 2008-2009. First factor was sources of N fertilizer (five kind), second factor was four levels of nitrogen (0, 200, 250 and 300 kgNha-1) and variety of corn was SC 704. Shoot dry weight and nitrogen concentration was determined in upper plant part. Results indicated that nitrogen in tested zeolits couldn’t act as slow release fertilizers (such as SCU) therefore they couldn’t be as suitable replacement for slow release fertilizers. Ratio of nitrogen in zeolite fertilizers is 1/3 of urea, therefore farmers has to use three times more amount of it to prepare same nitrogen for plants. If we consider other inputs such as packing, transporting and the cost of zeolite material, the cost of each nitrogen unit in this material is more expensive than urea. Due to these results using of nitrogenous zeolite which was tested in this experiment is not scientific and economically recommendable for corn cropping.