Formed from molten lavas interacting with groundwater deep within the earth's crust, zeolites are naturally occurring microscopic crystals that are being used to promote health in both plants and people. They are useful to the wine grape grower in several ways and studies have shown that they can increase yield, cluster size and sugar content. There is also evidence that zeolites have the ability to detoxify substances in a process that basically leaches the toxins out.
Significance
Most good wine grape growers will tell you that the worst thing you can do for a vine is over fertilize it. Yet, like any plant, it needs a certain amount of nourishment to reach its peak potential. This is where zeolites come into play because while the zeolites themselves offer little in plant nutrition, they are built to help maximize the efficiency of the existing fertilizers in the soil. The grape farmer can fertilize less and know that the vine will still be getting what it needs.
Function
The primary role of zeolites for wine grape growing is that they facilitate soil nutrient release. Soluble fertilizers that are not assimilated by the vine can build up in the soil and be wasted or even worse, taint the flavors in the grapes or pollute groundwater. Zeolites can also be effective for water retention and promote beneficial fungal activity in soil.
Features
Filled with pores, zeolites act as a tiny sponges in the soil filling, with water and nutrients and slowly releasing them to the roots of the plant as required. Zeolites are derived from natural crystals that accumulate in areas prone to volcanic activity and come in powder or liquid form. Because they are widely available and maximize the output of fertilizers, they are a relatively cost effective way to bolster soil health.
Effects
There has been specific research that zeolites can benefit grape vines, both old and new. A Czech Republic field study in 2004 concluded that both new vines and fruiting vines were both positively affected by the addition of zeolites to the soil. In new vines, application directly to the roots increased vegetative growth and application to the furrows of mature vines heightened sugar content and cluster weight and increased berry yield by 32 percent.
Considerations
The technical name for the sponge effect that gives zeolites their beneficial properties is "cation exchange capacity." This refers to the rate at which the zeolite is able to exchange elements back and forth between fertilizers, water and soil. This rate can be quantified as a number, and the higher the cation exchange rate of the zeolite generally the better the quality is. There are over 50 different types of zeolite, however, and some are better for agricultural uses than others. Clinoptilolite is the most common type.
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