The increasing demands for environmental protection and sustainable food production require an increase in the use of natural and non-toxic materials for agriculture. In this study, the feasibility of using surfactant-modified zeolite (SMZ) in comparison with zeolite clinoptilolite (Cp) application to reduce nitrate leaching and enhance crop growth was investigated. The effects of size (millimeter and nanometer) and application rate (20 g kg(-1) and 60 g kg(-1)) of Cp and SMZ on nitrate leaching and crop response were also evaluated. Using soil lysimeters, it was determined that the maximum and mean nitrate concentration in the leachate of SMZ-amended soil were significantly (p < 0.05) lower than those of Cp-amended soil. The amount of NO3-N leached from SMZ- and Cp-amended lysimeters at the higher application rate (60 g kg(-1)) was approximately 26% and 22% lower, respectively, than that from the control system. The mean grain yield, grain nitrogen content, stover dry matter, and N uptake were significantly greater in Cp-amended than SMZ-amended lysimeters. There was no significant effect due to the particle size of the two soil amendments. The results implicitly suggest that plants may have a better response if Cp is used as a fertilizer carrier rather than SMZ when applied at a rate of 60 g kg(-1). (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.