Use of native stilbite zeolite coupled with vermicompost for improving soil chemical properties and yield of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) grown on Aridic Calciusterts of Northern Ethiopia

Nutrient deficiency and bioavailability in the low-carbon and alkaline soils of semiarid areas of Ethiopia are serious problems. Identifying novel approaches to managing soil fertility helps reverse soil degradation, thereby bolstering crop productivity and achieve SDGs. A combination of vermicompost and a native stilbite zeolite’s effect on soil properties and barley yield was studied in a greenhouse experiment. The factorial experiment was arranged in a completely randomised design in three replications. Three particle sizes of stilbite zeolite (i.e., 0.5, 1 and 2 mm) at three rates (i.e., 0, 4 and 8 t ha−1), resulting in six treatment combinations and control, and three rates of vermicompost (i.e., 0, 4 and 8 t ha−1) were considered. Both soil and agronomic data were collected. A two-factor analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to analyse the collated data. Results revealed that the application of stilbite zeolite with different particle sizes and rates had significantly increased the soil pH, total organic carbon (TOC), total nitrogen (TN), cation exchange capacity (CEC) and Olsen phosphorus (OP) of the soil. In contrast, the application of vermicompost lowered the soil’s electrical conductivity (ECe) while increasing TOC, TN, CEC and OP. The combined application of 0.5 mm zeolite at 8 t ha− 1 and vermicompost at 8 t ha− 1 increased the CEC by 68% and quadrupled the OP compared with the control. Separate application of 0.5 mm zeolite at 8 t ha− 1 and vermicompost at 8 t ha− 1 also increased barley grain yield (33% and 59%, respectively), while their interaction doubled the yield of barley compared with control. A combination of stilbite zeolite-enriched vermicompost can be a good option for improving soil fertility and crop productivity in input-constrained semiarid Ethiopia. To substantiate the findings of this greenhouse trial, further research on the long-term impacts of these amendments, their scalability, and profitability is recommended.