USE OF NATURAL ZEOLITES IN FERTILIZATION AND PRODUCTION IN (Phaseolus vulgaris L.)BEANS IN THE QUEVEDO ZONE

Abstract

In order to increase production and profitability of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) crop, two types of commercial zeolites were assessed: “Zeolite C” and “Roca Magica” both of the Clinoptilolite type, in doses of 25, 50 and 75% of the recommended fertilization (80-40-00) for this crop in Quevedo city area. The variety of common bean used was “EVG-6”. The treatments were generated in the factorial form as follows 2 (types of zeolite) x 3 (doses of zeolite) + 1 (fertilization without zeolite as control), arranged in a Complete Randomized Blocks Design with four replications. To compare the means of the treatments, the Tukey test was used (P ≤ 0.05). Days to flowering, pests and diseases damages number of pods per plant, number of grains per pod, weight of 100 seeds and yield per hectare was measured in the plot. With the highest dose of zeolite along with chemical fertilizers an early flowering of about two days was observed. The minor pests and diseases damage was registered with the application of natural zeolite along with fertilizers. Among the types of zeolite statistical differences were found only in weight of 100 seeds and yield per plant; no statistical differences were found in the other variables. In the “zeolite vs. without zeolite” contrast a major production per plant and per hectare was found in favor of the application of zeolite. The higher profitability was obtained with the use of fertilizer plus “75% of Zeolite C” and “25% of Roca Magica”.