Plant Soil Environ., 2015, 61(5):234-239 | DOI: 10.17221/171/2015-PSE

Potassium availability and soil extraction tests in agricultural soils with low exchangeable potassium contentOriginal Paper

M. Madaras1, M. Koubová2
1 Crop Research Institute, Prague, Czech Republic
2 Czech Geological Survey, Prague, Czech Republic

Low application of fertilizer potassium (K) in intensive agriculture leads to a gradual decrease and, afterwards, to a steady state of soil K determined by tests which are based on soil exchangeable K (Kexch) extraction. In this situation, non-exchangeable K (Knon-exch) is being released and therefore real plant availability does not necessarily correspond to soil test K. This incoherency was investigated in 14 agricultural soils with low K as determined by the Mehlich 3 method. Plant-available K released by exhaustive cropping of perennial ryegrass and K determined by the Neubauer seedling test were compared with 8 soil K extraction methods, with the total K content and with the relative content of soil K-bearing minerals. K determined by the ryegrass test (314 mg/kg on average) was more than 3-times higher than K based on Kexch extraction methods, but was from 2 to 3 times lower than K determined by Knon-exch extracting methods. The relative content of mixed-layer phyllosilicates was significantly related to K extracted by soil tests. The relative content of orthoclase correlated only with total K and mica-group minerals with none of the extractions. The best prediction of plant-available K in investigated soils was obtained with sodium tetraphenylboron and StepK methods.

Keywords: essential nutrient; soil testing; plant K availability; X-ray diffraction; clay minerals

Published: May 31, 2015  Show citation

ACS AIP APA ASA Harvard Chicago Chicago Notes IEEE ISO690 MLA NLM Turabian Vancouver
Madaras M, Koubová M. Potassium availability and soil extraction tests in agricultural soils with low exchangeable potassium content. Plant Soil Environ. 2015;61(5):234-239. doi: 10.17221/171/2015-PSE.
Share...
Download citation
  • BibTeX (.bib)
  • Bookends (.ris)
  • EasyBib (.ris)
  • EndNote (.enw)
  • EndNote 8 (.xml)
  • ISI WoS (.isi)
  • Medlars (.medlars)
  • Mendeley (.ris)
  • MODS (.xml)
  • Papers (.ris)
  • RefWorks (.txt)
  • RefManager (.ris)
  • RIS (.ris)
  • MS Word (.xml)
  • Zotero (.ris)
    • Open full article

    References

    1. Andrist-Rangel Y., Edwards A.C., Hillier S., Öborn I. (2007): Long-term K dynamics in organic and conventional mixed cropping systems as related to management and soil properties. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment, 122: 413-426. Go to original source...
    2. Andrist-Rangel Y., Hillier S., Öborn I., Lilly A., Towers W., Edwards A.C., Paterson E. (2010): Assessing potassium reserves in northern temperate grassland soils: A perspective based on quantitative mineralogical analysis and aqua-regia extractable potassium. Geoderma, 158: 303-314. Go to original source...
    3. Bar-Yosef B., Magen H., Johnston A.E., Kirkby E.A. (2015): Potassium fertilization: Paradox or K management dilemma? Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems, 30: 115-119. Go to original source...
    4. Barré P., Catel N., Velde B., Abbadie L. (2010): Soil-plant potassium transfer: Impact of plant activity on clay minerals as seen from X-ray diffraction. Plant and Soil, 292: 137-146. Go to original source...
    5. Blake L., Mercik S., Koerschens M., Goulding K.W.T., Stempen S., Weigel A., Poulton P.R., Powlson D.S. (1999): Potassium content in soil, uptake in plants and the potassium balance in three European long-term field experiments. Plant and Soil, 216: 1-14. Go to original source...
    6. Carey P.L., Metherell A.K. (2003): Monitoring long-term changes in reserve potassium in some New Zealand soils using a modified sodium tetraphenylboron method. New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research, 46: 199-213. Go to original source...
    7. Carey P., Curtin D., Scott C.L. (2011): An improved procedure for routine determination of reserve-K in pastoral soils. Plant and Soil, 341: 461-472. Go to original source...
    8. Čermák P., Budňáková M., Torma S. (2007): Potassium demand and potassium balance in the Czech and the Slovak Republic. In: Proceedings of the IPI Open Forum on Potassium Research in Central Europe. March 21st-23rd 2007, Budapest (www.ipipotash.com).
    9. Cox A.E., Joern B.C., Brouder S.M., Gao D. (1999): Plant-available potassium assessment with a modified sodium tetraphenylboron method. Soil Science Society of America Journal, 63: 902-911. Go to original source...
    10. FAO (2011): Current World Fertilizer Trends and Outlook to 2015. Rome, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
    11. Grzebisz W., Diatta J., Hardter R., Cyna K. (2010): Fertilizer consumption patterns in Central European countries: Effect of actual yield development trends in 1986‒2005 years: A comparative study of the Czech Republic and Poland. Journal of Central European Agriculture, 11: 73‒82. Go to original source...
    12. Huang P.M. (2005): Chemistry of potassium in soils. Chapter 4. In: Tabatabai M.A., Sparks D.L. (eds.): Chemical Processes in Soils. Madison, SSSA.
    13. Khan S.A., Mulvaney R.L., Ellsworth T.R. (2014): The potassium paradox: Implications for soil fertility, crop production and human health. Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems, 29: 3-27. Go to original source...
    14. MacLean A.J. (1961): Potassium-supplying power of some Canadian soils. Canadian Journal of Soil Science, 41: 196-206. Go to original source...
    15. Madaras M., Lipavský J. (2009): Interannual dynamics of available potassium in a long-term fertilization experiment. Plant, Soil and Environment, 55: 334-343. Go to original source...
    16. Madaras M. (2014): Effect of potassium budget on evolution of soil potassium in different crop sequences and site conditions. Agriculture (Poľnohospodárstvo), 60: 121-131. Go to original source...
    17. Madaras M., Koubová M., Smatanová M. (2014): Long-term effect of low potassium fertilization on its soil fractions. Plant, Soil and Environment, 60: 358‒363. Go to original source...
    18. Madaras M., Mayerová M., Kulhánek M., Koubová M., Faltus M. (2013): Waste silicate minerals as potassium sources: A greenhouse study on spring barley. Archives of Agronomy and Soil Science, 59: 671-683. Go to original source...
    19. Martin H.W., Sparks D.L. (1985): On the behaviour of non-exchangeable potassium in soils. Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis, 16: 133-162. Go to original source...
    20. Matula J. (2009): A relationship between multi-nutrient soil tests (Mehlich 3, ammonium acetate, and water extraction) and bioavailability of nutrients from soils for barley. Plant, Soil and Environment, 55: 173-180. Go to original source...
    21. Mehlich A. (1984): Mehlich 3 soil test extractant: A modification of Mehlich 2 extractant. Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis, 15: 1409-1416. Go to original source...
    22. Moody P.W., Bell M.J. (2006): Availability of soil potassium and diagnostic soil tests. Australian Journal of Soil Research, 44: 265-275. Go to original source...
    23. Neubauer H. (1924): The utilization of seedlings in the estimation of soil nutrients. International Review of the Scientific and Practice of Agriculture (Rome), 2: 739-797.
    24. Öborn I., Andrist-Rangel Y., Askekaard M., Grant C.A., Watson C.A., Edwards A.C. (2005): Critical aspects of potassium management in agricultural systems. Soil Use and Management, 21: 102‒112. Go to original source...
    25. Pansu M., Gautheyrou J. (2006): Handbook of Soil Analysis. Mineralogical, Organic and Inorganic Methods. Berlin, Heidelberg, New York, Springer. Go to original source...
    26. Potts P.J. (1995): A Handbook of Silicate Rock Analysis. London, Blackie Academic and Professional.
    27. Richards J.E., Bates T.E. (1988): Studies on the potassium-supplying capacities of Southern Ontario soils. II. Nitric acid extraction of nonexchangeable K and its availability to crops. Canadian Journal of Soil Science, 68: 199-208. Go to original source...
    28. Scheffer F., Schachtschabel P. (1976): Lehrbuch der Bodenkunde. Stuttgart, Ferdinand Enke Verlag.
    29. Slaton N.A., Golden B.R., DeLong R.E., Mozaffari M. (2010): Correlation and calibration of soil potassium availability with soybean yield and trifoliolate potassium. Soil Science Society of America Journal, 74: 1642-1651. Go to original source...
    30. Škarpa P., Hlušek J. (2005): Effect of selected factors on the mobile potassium reserve in soil of Czech Republic. Agrochémia, 2: 8-11. (In Czech)
    31. Torma S. (2006): Potassium balance in crop production of Slovak Republic during recent 15 years (1989-2003) and the problems at its calculation. In: The role of long-term fields experiments in agricultural and ecological sciences and practical solutions for managing optimum C and N contents in Agricultural Soils. In: Proceedings from International Conference. Prague, 22-24 June 2005. Prague, Czech University of Life Sciences, 203-209.
    32. Zörb C., Senbayram M., Peiter E. (2014): Potassium in agriculture - Status and perspectives. Journal of Plant Physiology, 171: 656‒669. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...

    This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY NC 4.0), which permits non-comercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original publication is properly cited. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.


    Return to the content