Ganda Darmono Nainggolan, Suwardi Suwardi, Darmawan Darmawan

THE PATTERN OF NITROGEN RELEASE FROM SLOW RELEASE FERTILIZER UREA-ZEOLITEHUMIC ACID

Introduction

The pattern of nitrogen release from slow release fertilizer urea-zeolitehumic acid. Explore the pattern of nitrogen release from slow-release fertilizer (SRF) using urea-zeolite-humic acid. Discover how humic acid concentration affects N release rate and efficiency for plant nutrition.

Abstract

Nitrogen is essential nutrient for plants, deficiency of nutrient causes plants could not growth normally. Nitrogen is easily lost from soil so to reduce his lost by forming fertilizers available in slow form (slow release). Some materials can be used to create a slow release of which having high cation exchange capacity (CEC). Zeolite and humic acid are materials which have a highest CEC so it make possible to use as a slow release materials. The study aimed to determine the rate and pattern of nitrogen release from mixture formulas Slow Release Fertilizer (SRF) and urea-zeolite and humic-acid (UZA) and comparing rate of nitrogen release with urea pril. The study conducted in laboratory with incubation experiment during 14th weeks. Determination ammonium and nitrate was conducted by extracting the soil with extractant hydrodistillation 0.1 N HCl + 1 N KCl. The result showed that a higher humic acid concentration was given on fertilizer causes a nitrogen release become ammonium and nitrate more slowly. SRF H5 (urea:zeolit, 70%:30% with humic acid of 5%) have a slowest nitrogen release rate rather than five types of Slow Release Fertilizer (SRF) formulas which containing a humic acid. However, SRF H1 and H3 fertilizer (with humic acid of 1% and 3%) have a most efficiency nitrogen release rate rather than five types of Slow Release Fertilizer (SRF) which is containing a humid acid.

Review

The study "THE PATTERN OF NITROGEN RELEASE FROM SLOW RELEASE FERTILIZER UREA-ZEOLITEHUMIC ACID" addresses a critical agricultural challenge: the significant loss of nitrogen from soils, which impairs plant growth and environmental quality. By proposing the use of slow-release fertilizers (SRF) incorporating materials with high cation exchange capacity (CEC) such as zeolite and humic acid, the authors aim to mitigate these losses. The research specifically investigates the influence of varying humic acid concentrations on the release rate and pattern of nitrogen from urea-zeolite-humic acid (UZA) formulations. This objective is highly relevant, offering a promising avenue for developing more efficient and environmentally friendly nitrogen fertilizers, and the study provides valuable foundational data for this purpose. The experimental design, an incubation study over 14 weeks, provides a reasonable timeframe for evaluating nitrogen release kinetics in a controlled laboratory setting, with ammonium and nitrate determined via specific extraction methods. A key strength lies in the identification of a direct relationship between humic acid concentration and nitrogen release rate, demonstrating that higher humic acid levels result in a slower release. The findings effectively pinpoint specific formulations (SRF H5 for the slowest release and SRF H1/H3 for the "most efficient" release) that warrant further investigation. However, the abstract's definition of "efficiency" could benefit from greater clarity – whether it refers to an optimal balance of slow release and plant availability, or another metric. While the laboratory approach is essential for initial screening, the ultimate utility of these formulations would require validation through plant uptake studies in greenhouses or field trials, which are not covered in this initial assessment. Overall, this study makes a significant contribution to the development of enhanced nitrogen fertilizers. The detailed analysis of how humic acid concentration affects nitrogen release patterns from UZA formulations provides crucial insights for optimizing SRF development. The identification of promising candidate formulations, particularly SRF H1 and H3, offers clear directions for future research. While the current work is limited to laboratory conditions, it lays a solid groundwork. The findings strongly suggest that these urea-zeolite-humic acid composites hold considerable potential for improving nitrogen use efficiency in agriculture. Therefore, this paper presents valuable preliminary data that is well-suited for publication, providing a robust basis for subsequent investigations into the practical application and environmental impact of these novel SRFs.

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