ZEOLITE IN SUBSTRATE FOR THE EFFICIENT USE OF WATER

Abstract

The hydric deficit has brought as a result that many plants are under water stress, including ornamentals plants. Our project Evaluated the capacity of zeolite as a substrate in order to reduce the effects of hydric stress in indoor plants. This thanks to the absorbent capacity of the Zeolite, which allows it to hydrate in a reversible way. When the zeolite was hydrated, it was observed that it gradually delivers water to the roots of the plant and not directly as most substrates do. Four treatments plus one control were carried out, all of them using the same type of soil and initial water quantity. As for the zeolite, two granulometries were worked with different positions in the pot, and weekly water potential measurements were taken, counting of leaves and height. The study lasted two months, the observations and measurements were under greenhouse conditions. The results showed that a smaller granulometry in the center of the pots would present a lower hydric stress with respect to the rest of the treatments, for which it would represent a real option as a substrate in indoor plants.