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Clinoptilolite Zeolite Influence on Nitrate Leaching and Nitrogen Use Efficiency in Simulated Sand Based Golf Greens
Author(s) -
Huang Z. T.,
Petrovic A. M.
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
journal of environmental quality
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.888
H-Index - 171
eISSN - 1537-2537
pISSN - 0047-2425
DOI - 10.2134/jeq1994.00472425002300060009x
Subject(s) - leaching (pedology) , lysimeter , clinoptilolite , leachate , fertilizer , chemistry , lessivage , nitrate , zeolite , ammonia volatilization from urea , silt , environmental science , cation exchange capacity , nitrogen , environmental chemistry , soil water , soil science , geology , paleontology , biochemistry , organic chemistry , catalysis
The trend in golf greens construction during the past three decades has been towards putting greens with at least 90% sand and limited amounts of silt, clay, or organic matter. High sand based systems typically have low cation‐exchange capacity (CEC) and large saturated hydraulic conductivities (>30 cm h −1 ), thus, are prone to NO − 3 leaching and possibly contribute to ground or surface water contamination. Clinoptilolite zeolite (CZ) has a high CEC (160 cmol kg −1 ), a large affinity for NH + 4 ions and water molecules that may reduce N leaching on sand based putting greens. The impact of CZ amendment of sand putting greens on N leaching and N uptake by creeping bentgrass ( Agrostis stolonifera L.) was determined. The lysimeter method was used for growing creeping bentgrass in the greenhouse to determine NO − 3 and NH + 4 leaching potential and fertilizer N use efficiency. Four N levels (0, 98, 196, and 293 kg NH + 4 ‐N ha −1 ) and two media, sand‐CZ mix (9:1, w/w), and unamended sand, were included as treatments. Sand plus CZ had a lowered concentration of NO − 3 and NH + 4 in leachate while doubling the water retention capacity and increasing CEC 200 fold. The greatest reduction of N leaching was found from lysimeters amended with CZ at the highest N rate. Nitrate and NH + 4 leaching was 86 and 99% lower, respectively, than the unamended sand lysimeters. The N fertilizer use efficiency was improved by 16 to 22% with the addition of CZ to sand, depending on N application rate. Amendment of sandy rooting media with clinoptilolite promoted better fertilizer N uptake efficiency and reduced N leaching from a highly leachable soil.