Plant Soil Environ., 2025, 71(12):891-904 | DOI: 10.17221/315/2025-PSE

Exploring the impact of potassium fertiliser rate and split ratio on rice yield and quality in China: a meta-analysisOriginal Paper

Lijuan Deng1,2, Duoji Wu1, Weiqi Yuan1, Zongqiang Wei1, Yanlan Huang1, Zhihua Hu1,3, Jianfu Wu1
1 College of Land Resource and Environment, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, P.R. China
2 Jiangxi Environmental Engineering Vocational College, Ganzhou, P.R. China
3 Jiangxi Institute of Red Soil and Germplasm Resources, Nanchang, P.R. China

Potassium (K) is crucial for rice yield and quality, but continuous yield increase reduces protein content, challenging the balance between high yield and quality. This study analysed 3 178 case studies (1994–2024) on K management impacts on rice yield, grain protein, and amylose content, evaluating effects of K fertiliser rates, base-topdressing ratios, planting regions, and soil properties. The results showed that K application significantly increased rice yield, protein content and amylose content by 11.6, 2.0 and 1.0%, respectively. Importantly, we identified targeted K fertilisation strategies tailored to different quality goals: optimising for eating quality, nutritional quality, or synergistic improvement of yield and comprehensive quality. This study provides a scientific basis for precision K management to help growers balance rice yield with specific quality needs.

Keywords: productivity; nutrient management; targeted fertilisation strategy; yield-quality trade-off

Received: July 17, 2025; Revised: November 29, 2025; Accepted: December 1, 2025; Prepublished online: December 17, 2025; Published: December 18, 2025  Show citation

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Deng L, Wu D, Yuan W, Wei Z, Huang Y, Hu Z, Wu J. Exploring the impact of potassium fertiliser rate and split ratio on rice yield and quality in China: a meta-analysis. Plant Soil Environ. 2025;71(12):891-904. doi: 10.17221/315/2025-PSE.
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