Zeolitic farming

Farming with natural rocks and minerals was an age-old practice. Intensive agriculture with imbalanced fertilizer usage has led to a decline in soil quality and so, restoring this soil degradation needs urgent attention. In this context, farming with natural minerals (zeolites) has drawn attention. Zeolites are natural aluminosilicates present as rocks in different parts of the world. However, they are also inherently present in Vertisols mixed with soils. Exclusive use of zeolites has gained a new momentum in the recent past owing to multitude of benefits accrued from them. Japanese farmers were pioneering workers on zeolite usage to manage soil moisture and reaction. Their ion-exchange capacity is helpful for plant nutrition as well as soil amendment; besides the recent research on zeolite-herbicides interactions is encouraging. Although considerable research on zeolites in agriculture has been advanced, further research need to be carried out for their efficient utilization in farming.