The Properties and Function of the Organo-Zeolitic Bio-fertilizer.

Peter Leggo, B.Sc (Hons) 1959

The adoption of a biological method of plant nutrition is a new approach which does not involve the use of traditional agricultural chemical fertilizers. The bio-fertilizer involves a decomposing organic component, either animal or food waste, which produces a source of ammonium ions.

A crushed sedimentary rock rich in clinoptilolite - heulandite zeolite which is very selective towards ammonium ions, by ion exchange, captures these ions. On introduction to a soil the ammonium ions are replaced by potassium ions which entering the soil to be oxidized to nitrite then nitrate by the Archael cellular organism Crenarchaeota.

The release of ammonium ions from the zeolite is a slow reaction which produces nitrate at a rate at which plants grow. This behaviour strictly limits nitrate diffusion within the soil. Apart from the presence of Nitrogen the organic component also supplies Phosphorus ; Potassium being adequately present in the soil environment thus supplying the major NPK nutrients .

These elements are biologically ionised and taken up by plant root system. Growth enhancement in both food and other plants is found to be generally high over a large range of plant types and this new approach to plant nutrition has shown that plants can also be grown in contaminated soils and semi arid areas. Examples of these features are given in the text and figures.

As a multi-disciplinary subject concerning areas in geology, mineralogy, cell biology, biotechnology and plant growth and nutrition the book requires attention to scientific nomenclature which is readily available from the internet.

ISBN: 978-620-2-02478-5