Natural and NH4+-enriched zeolitite amendment effects on nitrate leaching from a reclaimed agricultural soil (Ferrara Province, Italy)

In this paper we report an overview of the main outcomes of a 3-years experimental cultivation carried out in an Italian reclaimed agricultural field amended with different types of zeolitites (rock containing > 50% of zeolites), under cereals cultivation (Sorghum vulgare Pers, Zea mays and Triticum durum). The aim of the experiment was to exploit the properties of zeolite-rich volcanic rocks (zeolitites) for reducing the excessively high NO3− content in the soil and in waters flowing out the sub-surface drainage system of the field and flushing into the surface water system, reducing concomitantly also chemical fertilization application rates (up to 50%). Zeolitites were tested both in their natural state and in a NH4+-enriched form, obtained through an enrichment process with NH4+-rich zoo-technical effluents (pig slurry). NO3− content in soils and in waters discharged through SSDS were periodically monitored during the experimentation and crop yield quantified. Results showed that, for three consecutive cultivation cycles, the overall NO3− concentrations in water extracts was reduced by 45% in the zeolitite treated soils, while in SSDS waters the reduction reached the 64%. Notwithstanding the lower N input from chemical fertilizers, crop yield was not negatively affected in the zeolitite amended soils with respect to the control. Zeolitite addition increased thus soil NH4+ retention and probably influenced several pathways of N losses, allowing a better fertilizer use efficiency by plants and a reduction of the overall NO3− concentrations in the surface waters.