Use of a zeolite synthesised from alkali treated kaolin as a K fertiliser: Glasshouse experiments on leaching and uptake of K by wheat plants in sandy soil

Zeolite N, a zeolite referred to in earlier publications as MesoLite, is made by caustic reaction of kaolin at temperatures between 80 degrees C and 95 degrees C. This material has a very high cation exchange capacity (CEC approximate to 500-meq/100 g). Soil column leaching experiments have shown that K-zeolite N additions greatly reduce leaching of NH4+ fertilisers but the agronomic effectiveness of the retained K+ and NH4+ is unknown.To measure the bioavailability of K in this zeolite, wheat was grown in a glasshouse with K-zeolite N as the K fertiliser in highly-leached and non-leached pots for four weeks and compared with a soluble K fertiliser (KCI). The plants grown in non-leached pots and fertilised with K-zeolite N were slightly larger than those grown with KCI. The elemental compositions in the plants were similar except for Si being significantly more concentrated in the plants supplied with K-zeolite N. Thus K-zeolite N may be an effective K-fertiliser.Plants grown in highly-leached pots were significantly smaller than those grown in non-leached pots. Plants grown in highly-leached pots were severely K deficient as half of the K from both KCI and K-zeolite N was leached from the pots within three days. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.