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65
Section 8. Agricultural sciences
DOI: http://dx. doi. org/10. 20534/ESR-17-5. 6-68-72
Qegi Orkida, PhD student, Lecturer Sporte Agricultural University of Tirana, Albania,
Fran Gjoka
Prof. Dr. Agricultural University of Tirana, Tirana, Albania E-mail: fgjoka2001@gmail. com
EFFECT OF NATURAL ZEOLITE AND PEAT ON NITOGEN DYNAMICS IN A SANDY SOIL
Abstract
Alaboratory incubation study was carried out at the Agricultural University of Tirana (Albania) to determine the effect of natural zeolite (Stilbite-Stellerite) andpeat application on nitrogen dynamics in a sandy soil (Haplic Arenosols). The treatments under this study were: T1 Soil (control), T2 Soil + N300P225K180, T3 Soil + Z_1 (6 q ha-1), T4 Soil + Z_2 (12 q ha-1), T5 Soil + NPK + Z_1, T6Soil + NPK + Z_2, T7Soil + NPK + Z_1 + P_1 (4. 99%), T8 Soil + NPK + Z_2 + P_1; T9Soil +NPK+Z_1 + P_2 (9. 99%), T8 Soil +NPK + Z_2 + P_2. Theresults indicatedan increasein soil NO3- concentration on the 20th day of incubation for two treatments with zeolite and peat at the rate 4. 99 g, and on the 10th day for the treatment with double rate of zeolite and peat at the rate9. 99 gcompared with control. Increasing zeolite application led to a decrease in the NO3- concentration during the incubation period. While increasing peat rate led to a considerable increase in the NO3- concentration. Duration of incubation significantly affected soil NO3- concentration. Increasing zeolite rate causedan obvious decrease in the soil NO3- concentration on the 30th day. On the contrary, increasing peat rate causedan increasein the soil NO3- concentration during 30 days of incubation. Increasing zeolite and peat at the rate 9. 99 g application caused an significant increase in the soil NH4+concentration on the 20th day. This could be explained with adsorption of NH4+ in the zeolite mineral lattice and on the peat exchange sites. Zeolite and peat applied alone or in combination could reduced nitrogen losses by retaining NO3- and NH4+ ions in soil.
Key words: nitrate, ammonium, stilbite-stelleritezeolite, peat, sandy soil, Albania.
1. Introduction tory incubation experiment was carried out to investigate the effect
The loss of plant nutrients through leaching is a form of soil of zeolite and peat application on the nitrogen dynamics in a sandy chemical degradation, which adversely effects plant productivity, en- soil (Haplic Arenosols) treated with NPK fertilizers. vironmental quality and human health. Among nutrients, nitrogen is 2. Material and methods
easily leached from soil, especially from the light-textured sandy soils. The properties of the materials used in the experiment are pre-
This because sandy soils generally have low cation exchnge capac- sented in Tables 1-3. The experimental soil (a sandy soil that belongs ity and low clay and organic matter contents. Losses of nitrogen in to Haplic Arenosol according to WRB, FAO 2006)was collected from agroecosystems increase the potential for human health impacts and 0-30 cm depth of anagricultural field of the Divjaka, which had re-environmental degradation [2] Therefore, the agroenvironmental re- ceived NPK fertilizers and manure over many years. The soil proper-search that improves nitrogen use efficiency and decrease its losses is ties were described in detail by Ceci et al. [8]. a crucial issue. Zeolite and peat had the highest affinity for ammo- The determination of soil properties were made in the labora-
nium and the highest ammonium adsorption capacity [10]. Results tories of the Department of Agro-envirnment and Ecology, Agricul-of a pot experiment with reygrass (Lolium multiflorum), where three tural University of Tirana, Albania (Table 1). The soil was moderate zeolite rates (6 q ha- ', 12 q ha- 1 and 5%, w/w basis) were applied alkaline in reaction (pH H2O=8. 04), medium in organic matter (2. to a sandy soil, indicated a reduction in the rate of decline of soil 33%), low in total nitrogen (0. 06%), nitrate nitrogen (0. 43 mg/kg) organic matter and nitrogen contents with increasing application and ammonium nitrogen (4. 04 mg/kg), and has a low cation exrate of zeolite [1]. Research on the use of natural soil emendments change capacity — CEC (14. 14 meq/100 g). with mineral fertilizers in Albania is missing. Therefore, a labora-
Table 1. - Chemical properties ofused soil
Property Unit Value
pH H2O - 8. 04
pH KCl - 7. 56
CEC meq/100 g 14. 15
Organic matter % 2. 33
Total-N % 0. 06
NO3- mg/kg 0. 43
nh4+ mg/kg 4. 04
Available-P mg/kg 4. 81
1 2 3
Mg mg kg- 1 33. 60
Mn mg kg- 1 ND
Fe mg kg- 1 33. 60
ND - not detected
The zeolite used in this study was collected from the Munella deposits, northern Albania (zeolite was extracted from the depth with a probe). Chemical composition of the zeolite was determined in the laboratories of the Soil Science and Soil Conservation Institute ofJustus-Liebig University of Giessen, Germany (Table 2). Cation exchange capacity (CECpot) of the zeolitic material was low (6. 72) meq/100 g, electrical conductivity (EC) was 91 ^S/cm, CaCO3 was < 0. 5% and pH (H2O) was 7. 8.
Table 2. - Chemical composition of used zeolite
Property Unit Value
1 2 3
pH (H2O, 1:5) - 7. 8
CaCO3 % <0. 5
CECpot meq/100g 6. 72
EC (1:5) ^S/cm 91
K mg kg- 1 3. 91
Na mg kg- 1 75. 90
Ca mg kg- 1 1196
Plastic bottleswere filled with 100 g of mixtures: soil + zeolite + NPK and soil + peat + NPK. Every two days, the bottles are weighed and watered with distilled water as needed. Bottles were destructively sampled on days 3, 10, 20 and 30 and analyzedfor NO3-, NH4+, and total nitrogen. Total N was measured in a spectrophotometer at 655 nm. NO3- was measured in a spectrophotometer at 220/275 nm, NH4+ was measured in a spectrophotometer at 655 nm. The total nitrogen, nitrate and ammonium contentswere
The properties of tested peat (reed-sedge peat) are preasente in Table 3. The peat has a relatively high pH (pH H2O=7. 44), a high CEC (74,6 meq/100gr), low EC (0. 22 mS/cm), high total nitrogen (2. 07%), and low nitrate and ammonium nitrogen (0. 07mg/kg and 7. 30 mg/kg, respectively).
Table 3. - Chemical composition of used peat
Property Unit Value
pH H2O - 7,44
pH KCl - 6,84
CEC meq/100gr 74,6
Organic matter % 42. 6
EC (1:5) mS/cm 0. 22
Total-N % 2,07
NO3- mg/kg 0. 07
NH + mg/kg 7,30
Available-P mg/kg 29,425
The zeolite and peat were mixed with experimental soil, and then were incubated in aerobic conditions at 25 °Cand relative humidity of 75% for 30 days inan incubator. The incubation experiment was conducted at the laboratories of the Agricultural University of Tirana, during October — November 2016. The experiment was set up with 10 variants and 6 replicationsin the form of a randomized block design.
expressed in mg/kg of dry matter. ANOVA wasused to analyze the data. The LSD test at p<0. 05 was used to find statistical differences between the studied treatments. 3. Results and discussion 3.1 Nitrate accumulation during incubation The ANOVA results indicated that the effect of zeolite and peat application on nitrate accumulation was insignificant (p<0. 05) (Table 5).
Table 4. - Experiment variants
Variant Material Amount
T 1 (control) Soil 100 g
T 2 Soil +NPK 99,94 g Soil+0. 06 g NPK
T 3 Soil+Z 1 99. 98 g Soil+0. 02 g Zeolite
T 4 Soil+Z 2 99. 96 g Soil+0. 04 g Zeolite
T 5 Soil+NPK+Z 1 99. 92 g Soil + 0. 06 g NPK +0. 02 g Zeolite
T 6 Soil+NPK+Z 2 99. 90 g Soil + 0. 06 g NPK +0. 04 g Zeolite
T 7 Soil+NPK+Z 1+P 1 94. 93 g Soil + 0. 06 g NPK + 0. 02 g Zeolite+ 4. 99 g Peat
T 8 Soil+NPK+Z 2+P 1 94. 91 g Soil + 0. 06 g NPK + 0. 04 g Zeolite+ 4. 99 g Peat
T 9 Soil+NPK+Z 1+P 2 89. 93 g Soil + 0. 06 g NPK + 0. 02 g Zeolite+ 9. 99 g Peat
T_10 Soil+NPK+Z_2+P_2 89. 91 g Soil + 0. 06 g NPK + 0. 04 g Zeolite+ 9. 99 g Peat
Z=zeolite; P= Peat: NPK=300:225:180 kg ha- 1
Table 5. Results of ANOVA for nitrate accumulation
Source of Variation SS df MS F P-value F crit
Between Groups 866,8152 3 288,9384 1,439338 0,247403 2,866266
Within Groups 7226,782 36 200,7439
Total 8093,597 39
However, nitrate concentration in soil increased on the 20th day of incubation for both zeolite (at two rates) and peat (at the rate of 4. 99 gr/pot), on the 10th day for both zeolite (at two rates) and
peat (at the rate of 9. 99 gr/pot), compared to control. In general, increasing zeolite rate led to a decrease in NO3- concentration during the incubation period (Fig. 1).
Figure 1. Effect of zeolite and peat application on nitrate accumulation in soil
ing peat rate caused increased NO3- concentration in soil during the incubation period.
3. 2 Ammonium accumulation during incubation The ANOVA indicated that the effect of zeolite and peat application on amonium accumulation in soil was insignificant (p<0. 05) (Table 6).
On the other hand, increasing peat rate led to a significant increase in NO3- concentration. The incubation perioddid not have a signifiant effect on NO3- concentration in the soil. Increasing zeolite arte caused a significant decrease (21. 5%) in the NO3- concentration on the 30th day for both rates of peat application. While increas-
Table 6. - Results of ANOVA for ammonium accumulation
Source of Variation SS df MS F P-value F crit
Between Groups 56,06275 3 18,68758 1,111153 0,357293 2,866266
Within Groups 605,455 36 16,81819
Total 661,5178 39
Use of NPK fertilizers increased NH + concentration in soil
4
as compared to control (soil alone). Also, the NH4+ concentration was significantly higher in soils where the NPK fertilizers were used in combination with zeolite and peat than in soil where the NPK were used alone. The higher concentrations of soil exchangeable NH4+ in these treatment can be explained by the fact that that portions of NH4+ released during NPK hydrolysis were adsorbed onto the exchange surface of zeolite and humic substances of peat.
The retention of soil NH4+ could be attributed to the high CEC of the used peat.
In all tretments with PNK, zeolite and peat, the NH4+ concentration in soilobviously decreased during the incubation period. However, the NH4+concentration was higher in comparison with the control (soil alone) (Fig. 2). The NH4+concentration was also higher at higher rate of zeolite applicationon on the 30th days of incubation.
On the other hand, the use of peat increased significantly NH4+ concentrationwas on the 30th days of incubation. This can
NH4+ concentration in soil as compared to the use of zeolite be explained by the adsorption of NH4+ ions in the structure of
alone. The NH4+ concentration increased on incubation with in- zeolite and peat. The application of zeolite and peat alone or in
creasing peat rate application. The NH4+ concentration in soil combination can reduce nitrogen losses by retaining the NO3- and
decreased during the incubation period. The highest decrease in NH4+ions in the soil.
Figure 2. Effect of zeolite and peat application on ammonium accumulation in soil
Similar results have been reported in literature by Klein and Appel [3], Kristensen [4], Latifah et al. [5], Lija et al. [6], Omar et al. [7], Perrin et al. [9] and Witter and Kirchmann [10].
4. Conclusion
The effect of zeolite and peat on NO3- andNH4+ accumulation in soil was insignificanton incubation. It was observed anincreasein soil NO3- concentration on the 20th day of incubation for treatments with zeolite and peat at the rate 4. 99 g, andon the 10th day for the treatment with double rate of zeolite and peat at the rate9. 99 gcompared with control. Increasing zeolite rate led to a decrease in the NO3-concentration during the incubation period, while increasing peat rate led to a considerableincrease in the NO3- concentration.
The incubation period significantly affected NO3- concentration in soil. Increasing zeolite rate causedan obvious decrease
(21.5%) in the soil NO3- concentration on the 30th day, and increasing peat rate causedan increasein the soil NO3- concentration during the incubation period. At the higher zeolite and peat rates an significant increase in the soil NH4+concentration on the 20th day as noticed. This could be explained with adsorption of NH4+ in the zeolite mineral lattice and on the peat exchange sites. Zeolite and peat could be used as soil amendmentto reduce nitrogen losses by retaining NO3- and NH4+ ions in soil.
5. Acknowledgments
This work was supported by the Agricultural University of Tirana. We thank the Institute of the Soil Science and Soil Conservation of Justus-Liebig University of Giessen (Germany) for its technical assistance in analyses of zeolite samples.
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