Formulation of Slow Release Nitrogen Fertilizer from Urea, Zeolite and Humic Acid and Its Effect on Corn Growth

Abstract

The quality of agricultural land in Indonesia was declining progressively and it affect to the decrease of crop production. It is well known that N fertilizer is inefficient due to evaporation into atmosphere and leached into the grown water. The objectives of this research were to study the formulation of slow release N-fertilizer made from urea, zeolite, humic acid, and polymer; to study the pattern of nitrogen release from this modified slow release fertilizer; and to evaluate the effect of modified slow release fertilizer on corn growth. The ratio of urea and zeolite used in this experiment was prepared with the ratio of urea (U) and zeolite (Z) 7:3 and 8: 2, humic acid (HA) of 2 and 2.5% and arabic gum as the binding material. The modified fertilizers were put into the percolation column. The volume and concentration of ammonium-N and nitrate-N were collected and measured during one month percolation with Kjeldahl methode. The modified fertilizers then used to evaluate the effect of the fertilizers on growth of corn in greenhouse experiment. The results showed that the composition of the six N fertilizer were prepared by coating with zeolite, humic substance, and gum arabic characterized as a slow release fertilizer. Zeolite, humic substance, and gum arabic or combinations there of as coating agent is able to reduce the peak release of N-NH4+ and N-NO3- and change the pattern of release to be still available until the end of the test period. Based on the data of corn’s growth, slow release fertilizer forms obtained did not match the corn crop N requirement in accordance with the physiological growth so that the best growth is obtained only by urea which has a high solubility. Humic substance influential in terms of the physiological properties of corn compared to its role as an encapsulation on slow release fertilizer.