The paper “Effects of natural clinoptilolite on physiology, water stress, sugar, and anthocyanin content in Sanforte (Vitis vinifera L.) young vineyard“, published in The Journal of Agricultural Science, has been chosen as the latest Editorial Highlight and is freely available to download.

Due to their ability to perform cation exchange, zeolite applications were found in various industries, such as in the pharmaceutical industry, petrochemical industry. Zeolites have many properties, some of these are of interest for agricultural purposes: high CEC, high water holding capacity in the free channels, and high adsorption capacity. In agriculture, some of the important applications are water treatment, gas adsorption, aquaculture, animal husbandry, absorption of heavy metals and also for odour control. Zeolites can also absorb up to 55% water, later this water is used by the plants for their metabolic activities. In grapevine, foliar applications of chabasite-rich zeolitites were able to control simultaneously grey mould, sour rot and grapevine moth and improve the composition of grapes and wines.

Many recent scientific publications highlight the zeolite and composting of waste from the wine supply chain properties on plants and soils, improving the productivity and sustainability of crops.

Zeowine is a product that is derived from the composting of waste from the wine supply chain (stalks, grape pulp, pomace, etc.) with the addition of 30% zeolite during the initial phase of the process.

This synergy can be considered one of the major control agents for plant water stress. They act directly on water absorption and release capacity with no functional or structural modifications. Additionally, compost is a good source of organic substance, micro-and macro elements (N, P, K, Zn, Mn, Mg) with a direct effect on the balance source-sink ratio.

Researches on zeolite and compost are one of the keys for future agriculture development. Presently, the world possesses a large number of sites with extraction production capacities able to provide the quantities required to supply the market.

During the two-year study, it was observed the deleterious effects of global warming, in a new grapevine plant, can be reduced with Zeowine soil improver. The zeolite skill to hold water and exchange nutrients gave the vines the strength to improve their performance and carry out better production. The features of zeolite combined with compost are one of the best solutions to make a stand against drought problems. Therefore, it is in this scenario that the application of Zeowine in the vineyard to the soil can be a valid tool to mitigate the effects of climate change.

The Journal of Agricultural Science Editorial Highlights are selected by the Editor-in-Chief and are freely available. View the recent selections here.