MANURE, POLYACRYLAMIDE, AND ZEOLITE ON THE GROWTH AND NITROGEN UPTAKE BY Lolium perenne L.

Abstract

The effect of manure (EST), polyacrylamide (PAA), natural zeolite (ZEO-NAT) and ammoniated zeolite (ZEO- AMO), was evaluated in terms of dry matter yield (RMS), absorbed nitrogen (NE) and water use efficiency (EUA) in the production of dry matter by rye grass (Lolium perenne L.) were assessed under greenhouse conditions. The experiment was carried out in two stages, with three cuts in each stage. All treatments received the same amount of total N. EST had a negative effect on all the evaluated variables, due to its low N content, which caused an immobilization of part of the water-soluble N. PAA increased RMS and EUA in both stages. NE was increased by PAA only in the second harvest of the first stage and in the first harvest of the second stage. ZEO-NAT increased RMS in the second stage. ZEO-AMO produced higher RMS from 121 days after planting. With few exceptions, the NE was always higher with the addition of ZEO-AMO than without ZEO or with ZEO-NAT; ZEO in any of its forms had an influence on EUA. The effect of PAA was lower when it was applied with EST. The depressive effect of EST was attenuated with ZEO-AMO.