LAUSR

Abstract Nitrate leaching (NL) has become an issue in intensive agricultural systems with destructive results on the environment. The efficacy of zeolite incorporation with different organic and inorganic fertilizers was investigated in order to improve crop yield, nutrient uptake, and nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) in canola and wheat during 2014–2018. A field experiment was conducted using a randomized complete block design, with the split-plot layout. Two crop rotations of “canola-soybean-wheat” and “canola-wheat” were applied in the main-plots and nine fertilizing management systems (F1: urea, F2: urea + zeolite, F3: composted manure, F4: composted manure + zeolite, F5: urea + composted manure, F6: urea + composted manure + zeolite, F7: urea + azocompost, F8: urea + azocompost + zeolite and F9: Control) provided the sub-plots. The highest yields in canola and wheat were observed with the application of F6 and F8 treatments. The highest nitrogen (N) uptake was found in the second year through F6 and F8 application (115.1 and 120.4; 115.1 and 114.4 kg ha−1), while the lowest was found in the F9 (30.3 and 28.0 kg ha−1) in canola and wheat, respectively. The highest and the lowest rates of NL were obtained in the F1 and F9 treatments, respectively. Zeolite incorporation into integrated fertilizer management systems fulfilled the experimental goals in preserving more nutrients in the rhizosphere.