Minimizing Carbon Dioxide Emissions with Clinoptilolite Zeolite in Moris Pineapple Cultivation on Drained Sapric Soils

Abstract

Drained tropical peat soils for agriculture emit more carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere from their stored carbon compared with their pristine state. Field and laboratory experiments were conducted to assess whether the natural zeolite of the clinoptilolite (ZeoC) species could be included in the pineapple fertilization program to decrease the CO2 emissions from tropical sapric soils. The static closed-chamber and laboratory incubation methods were used to determine the effects of ZeoC on the CO2 emitted from a drained sapric soil planted with Moris pineapple. The treatments assessed were as follows: (a) suggested ratio of ZeoC (5 g, 10 g, 14 g, and 20 g of ZeoC) and 20 g compound NPK 30:1:32 fertilizer, enumerated based on the pineapple plant requirement; (b) 20 g of compound NPK 30:1:32 fertilizer only; and (c) unfertilized sapric soils. The drained sapric soils amended with ZeoC (rate of 5 g to 20 g/plant) minimized the CO2 emissions compared with those without the ZeoC, because of the physical and chemical sorption of organic compounds and polar CO2 onto the lattices of ZeoC, which inhibited organic matter decomposition. ZeoC fertilization reduces sapric soil acidity and improves Moris pineapple fruit quality attributes and yield. Monthly pineapple fertilization with ZeoC at the vegetative and flowering phases is an alternative agronomic strategy to reduce CO2 emissions. This approach does not reduce pineapple yield on drained tropical sapric soils.