Potential of basalt dust to improve soil fertility and crop nutrition

The search for higher yields, lower production costs, and increased sustainability in agriculture implies optimizing crop nutritional management. In this sense, basalt dust has shown potential to improve soil fertility and crop nutrition. Thus, the goal was to evaluate the potential use of basalt dust in a controlled environment. First, an experiment was carried out on soils with contrasting textures (sandy and medium) under a random design, with four replications. These soils were incubated with basalt dust doses for 90 days, and later analyzed for chemical properties. Then, after soil incubation, four experiments were carried out in a pot system, where maize and bean plants were grown, with four replications. Plant shoots were evaluated for dry weight and macro- and micronutrient accumulations. The results of the incubation test showed that basalt dust increased available phosphorus, potassium, calcium, and magnesium levels in the soil about twenty, ten, fifteen, and thirteen times higher than those without the basalt dust, respectively. Maize and bean plants grown in soils enriched with basalt dust showed macro and micronutrient accumulations, up to five times higher than plants without the use of basalt dust. These results showed the usefulness of basalt dust in aiding nutritional management in agriculture.