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Both inorganic and organic soil amendments serve as pivotal tools for augmenting crop yield and optimising fertilisation efficacy, while enhancing soil physical and biological characteristics, bolstering carbon sequestration, and remedying soil degradation caused by pollutants and salinity. This study was carried out with the specific objective of discerning the impact of various zeolite composites and their mixtures with lignite or leonardite on maize biomass output. To achieve this aim, the following treatments were applied in a controlled pot experiment: zeolite/carbon and zeolite/vermiculite composites mixed with lignite or leonardite, and a control treatment devoid of any amendments. Subsequent analysis encompassed the root morphometric parameters and maize aboveground production. The lowest productivity was characterised for maize without any fertilisers and amendments. The highest aboveground biomass of maize straw was obtained when only mineral fertilisation was applied. Both aboveground and root biomass were at the same level, notwithstanding the soil amendments, zeolite composites or organic amendments. Root morphological parameters, including root dry matter, root length, root surface area, and volume, were influenced by the addition of zeolite/carbon and zeolite/vermiculite composites with organic component. Our research shows the beneficial effect of the applied additives on some morphological properties of the roots. Zeolite/vermiculite composite application increased root surface area and root volume. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organic and inorganic soil amendments are used to increase crop yields and fertilizer efficiency, as well as to improve the physical and biological properties of soil, increase carbon sequestration, and restore contaminated and saline soils. The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of various zeolite composites mixed with either lignite or leonardite on the biomass production of spring wheat and rapeseed and their root morphology. A pot experiment involved the application of the following treatments: zeolite-carbon, zeolite-vermiculite composites, both mixed with lignite or leonardite, and a control treatment with no amendments. Inorganic composites were applied in a dose of 3% and 6%. The study also included an analysis of the root morphometric parameters and aboveground biomass of spring wheat and rapeseed. The lowest productivity was observed when both crops were not enriched with fertilizers or other amendments, 24.92 g per pot and 29.83 g per pot for spring wheat and rapeseed, respectively. The application of mineral fertilizers in combination with zeolite-carbon composite gave the highest aboveground biomass of spring wheat, 110.11 g per pot. Both zeolite-carbon and zeolite-vermiculite composites modified the morphological parameters of roots, with the control treatment showing the lowest root length and dry matter. Although mineral fertilization was found to have a positive impact root development in relation to untreated control, the treatment amended with zeolite-carbon composite and leonardite exhibited the highest root length and biomass of spring wheat. No other soil amendments improved the properties of rapeseed roots. [Display omitted] • Organic/inorganic composites were applied in spring wheat and rapeseed. • The lowest yield were obtained for Control. • Highest productivity was for mineral fertilization with zeolite-carbon composite. • Zeolite-carbon and zeolite-vermiculite increased root length and biomass. • The highest root length was for zeolite-carbon with leonardite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of straw as a soil amendment is a well-known and recommended agronomy practice, but it can lead to negative effects on the soil and crop yield. It has been hypothesized that many problems related to the burying of straw can be overcome by pyrolyzing it. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of straw and its biochar on the biomass production of perennial ryegrass. A pot-based experiment was conducted with three factors: (i) the crop species used as feedstock, (ii) raw or pyrolyzed organic material, and (iii) the rate of organic amendments. The soil in the pots was amended with straw and biochar produced from Miscanthus (Miscanthus × giganteus) or winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). After soil amendment application, perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) seeds were sown. During two years of the experiment, the perennial ryegrass above-ground biomass production and root biomass and morphology parameters were determined. Straw and biochar resulted in higher perennial ryegrass above-ground biomass compared with that of the non-fertilized control. However, straw amendment resulted in lower plant yields of above-ground biomass than those of the biochar treatments or the mineral fertilizer control treatment. The feedstock type (Miscanthus or wheat) significantly affected the perennial ryegrass yield. No difference was observed among wheat and Miscanthus biochar, while among straws, Miscanthus resulted in lower perennial ryegrass productivity (the higher rate of straw and biochar as soil amendments resulted in relatively high perennial ryegrass productivity). The organic amendments resulted in relatively high root biomass and length. The root:shoot ratio was lower in the treatments in which biochar was used, whereas feedstock species and amendment rate were not statistically significant for any of the root biomass and morphometric parameters. The results suggest that the use of pyrolyzed straw can be a reliable strategy instead of straw, increasing ryegrass growth and productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]