ZEOLITES AND THEIR APPLICATION IN PLANT PROTECTION

Zeolites are a large group of aluminosilicate minerals that appear in non-metamorphic rocks or are synthesized by humans. Interest in the use of zeolites in agricultural production has been growing in recent years, primarily because they are environmentally friendly. They are used to protect the plants from insects in open areas, as well as in warehouses. Research is being conducted on the effectiveness of zeolite in controlling the insect eggs, larvae, and adults, the cause of plant diseases, and weeds. The movement of insects on the treated parts of the plant is difficult because the zeolite particles are caught by their hairs, making it difficult for them to feed, so they eventually die. Aluminum-rich zeolites are mostly used as the means for drying the surface parts of plants, considering that water is needed for the infections caused by the fungi and bacteria, or they create a thin layer on a leaf surface that prevents the germination of spores and the development of certain plant diseases. Zeolites have a potential to be slowly released, and therefore they ensure that the active substance of the herbicide has a longer duration of effectiveness, whereby a potential for leaching and environmental pollution is being reduced.