Ammonium-charged zeolitite effects on crop growth and nutrient leaching: greenhouse experiments on maize (Zea mays)

Abstract Nitrate leaching and the resulting groundwater contamination from intensive crop production has become a major concern for long-term farmland efficiency and environmental sustainability in Italy. The aim of this study was to evaluate a water-saving NH 4 -charged zeolitite (produced by a new prototype) for minimizing NO 3 -leaching from soil and optimizing corn growth and yield. Forty-eight zeolitite:soil lysimeters in two trials were installed in a greenhouse to study the growth and yield characteristics of maize ( Zea mays ) as well as the nitrate concentration in leachate under different fertilizing conditions (i.e., standard, high or 70%, medium or 50% and low or 30% of conventional fertilization rate) and NH 4 -charged zeolitite (control, 0; dose-1, 50 t ha − 1 and dose-2, 100 t ha − 1 ) treatments. The results implicitly suggest that plants may have a better response if NH 4 -charged zeolitite is used with a limited amount of conventional fertilizer, allowing a reduction of nitrate concentration in drainage.