Low Cost Synthetic Zeolite for Enhancement of Plant Growth

Zeolite prepared from a naturally occurring source of silicon and aluminum, said zeolite A being buffered to between about 6.5 and 9;

• having:
• a moisture reserve capacity of at least 20 wt %;
• an external surface area of at least about 25 m2/g;
• and
• an ion exchange capacity of at least about 4.5 meq/g (measured on an anhydrous basis),
• a plant growth promoter chosen from the group consisting of copper, zinc and mixtures thereof included in the amount of at least about 0.3 meq/g;
• and
• a plant growth nutrient chosen from the group consisting of ammonium, magnesium, potassium and mixtures thereof incorporated into the zeolite in amounts between about 1 meq/g up to about 5 meq/g

A synthetic high aluminum zeolite wherein the mol ratio of silicon to aluminum (Si/AL) is less than 2.0, having:

• having at least double the ion exchange capacity of Clinoptilolite, said zeolite being prepared from a naturally occurring source of silicon and aluminum;
• the pH of the zeolite being buffered to between about 6 and 9;
• the zeolite having:
• a moisture reserve capacity of at least about 20 wt %;
• an external surface area of at least about 10 m2/g;
• and
• an ion exchange capacity of at least about 3.5 meq/g (measured on an anhydrous basis),
• a plant growth promoter chosen from the group consisting of copper, zinc and mixtures thereof included in the amount of at least about 0.4 meq/g;
• and a plant growth nutrient chosen from the group consisting of ammonium, magnesium, potassium and mixtures thereof exchanged into the zeolite in amounts between about 3.5 meq/g up to about 25 meq/g.

Zeolite A from kaolin, prepared from a naturally occurring source of silicon aluminum and mixtures thereof, said zeolite A being buffered to between about 6 and 8;

• having:
• a moisture reserve capacity of at least 30 wt %;
• an external surface area of at least about 10 m2/g;
• and
• an ion exchange capacity of at least about 3.5 meq/g (measured on an anhydrous basis),
• a plant growth nutrient chosen from the group consisting of ammonium, magnesium, potassium or mixtures incorporated into the zeolite in amounts between about 0.5 w % up to about 25 wt %.