Potassium fractions in soil and simple K balance in long-term fertilising experiments

Abstract

Experiments were used to determine the potassium release from the non-exchangeable K (Kne) forms that are involved in plant nutrition and which replenish the pool of available K. Long-term stationary field experiments with different fertilisation systems (organic: farmyard manure, sewage sludge, straw; mineral: NPK, N) were carried out to study the potassium balance and the K content changes in the topsoil (0–30 cm) and subsoil (30–60 cm). The trials were located at three sites with different soil-climatic conditions. The following crops were rotated within the trial: potatoes (maize) – winter wheat – spring barley. All three crops were grown each year over 21 years. Positive correlations between the contents of the available K in the topsoil and the potassium balance (K inputs – K outputs) were observed. There were no statistically significant differences among the treatments. Depending on the soil properties, the ratio of non-exchangeable K (Kne) was 12–37% of the values obtained via the aqua regia extraction. Depending on the site, the amount released from the Kne forms to the available K form was 46–69 kg K/ha/ year. The use of K from the farmyard manure varied from 7.4% up to 25%. Due to the low K content in the sewage sludge, the long-term fertilisation with sludge may only lead to the depletion of the available K in the soil, similar to the sole N mineral fertilisation.

Partial Substitution of Chemical N with Solid Cow Manure Improved Soil Ecological Indicators and Crop Yield in a Wheat–Rice Rotation System

“…Previous works have suggested that the recycling of organic K is the major pathway for plant K. This explains the increased AK with the increasing rates of manure replacement [44,45]. Similar observations happened in the study by Balík et al [46]. In addition, increases in organic fertilization stimulate/improve the microbial conversion of organic K into inorganic K.…”

Effects of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) gene on potassium efficiency of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.)

“…It plays crucial roles in many physiological and developmental processes of plants, such as osmotic adjustment, phloem loading and sugar transport to heterotrophic organs, water relations, stomatal regulation, enzyme activation and resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses (Urrego et al, 2014;Wang et al, 2013). However, with the increases in nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) fertilizer applications and the release of higher-yielding crop varieties (Dong et al, 2010;Hu et al, 2016), a negative K + balance in soil (around − 60 kg ha − 1 every year) occurred and is becoming worse (Balik et al, 2020;Steiner et al, 2012).…”

Aspects of the application of precision agriculture in the conditions of intensification of grain production in the forest-steppe of Western Siberia

“…The productivity of grain crops under the conditions of each specific field is a dynamic indicator and depends primarily on the presence of moisture in the soil horizon, effective soil fertility, humus content and thickness of its horizon, relief and illumination of the land [14][15][16]. The increase in the stress resistance of cultivated plants to an unfavorable environmental factor and harmful organisms is very important for the promotion of geoinformation technologies [17,18]. In this regard the purpose of our research in 2019-2021. was the improvement of precision farming technology in the production of grain crops in the forest-steppe of Western Siberia.…”