Influence of Enriched Zeolite on Chemical and Biological Properties of Black Soil (Typic Calciusterts)

Abstract

This study investigates the effects of zinc loaded zeolite (ZZ) on pH, electrical conductivity (EC), organic carbon content, and the activities of soil enzymes, namely dehydrogenase, urease, and phosphatase. A laboratory incubation study was conducted in in black soil (Typic Calciusterts) during 2023-24 with 6 graded levels of Zn loaded zeolite (2.5, 5, 7.5, 10, 12.5, 15 mg/kg) along with control at two different moisture regimes in a factorial completely randomized design (FCRD) at ICAR- Indian Institute of Rice Research. The results revealed that interaction of three factors (treatments, moisture regime and intervals) did not show any significant effects on soil physico-chemical and biological parameters, but on comparison with initial properties, slight variations were observed among all the parameters. Soil pH, EC and organic carbon content status, pH of (8.20) observed at 10 and 12.5 mg kg-1 of ZZ, the highest soil EC (0.41 dS m-1) recorded with the application of 15 and 12.5 mg kg-1 of ZZ. The maximum organic carbon (0.57%) recorded at 60 and 80 DAI in the saturation capacity moisture. For enzymatic activities, the highest dehydrogenase activity the highest (203.4 µg of TPF h⁻¹) was recorded with the application of 10 mg kg⁻¹. Similarly, the peak acid phosphatase activity (25.6 µg p-nitrophenol g⁻¹ of soil h⁻¹) was observed at 80 days after incubation (DAI), while alkaline phosphatase activity was highest at 20 DAI and then declined over time. None of the three enzymatic activities showed significant differences among moisture levels, intervals and treatments. Hence, application of enriched zeolite has no significant effect on soil chemical and biological properties under saturation and field capacity with the three factors interaction.