Crop response to applied potassium as affected by soil textures, clay type and soil test potassium
2001
Ahmad, Z. (College of Agriculture, Dera Ghazi Khan (Pakistan)) | Akram, M. | Mian, S.M. | Gill, K.H.
The application of fertilizers including potash has become cost- intensive and proper consideration of factors controlling plant availability of applied fertilizers can increase their use efficiency. A series of field experiment was conducted under rice-wheat cropping system to ascertain the role of factors like soil texture, clay type and soil test potassium in determining crop responses to applied potassium. The experimental sites varied from sandy loam to silty clay in texture with smectites as the dominant clay mineral. Potassium was applied at the rates of 0, 75, 150 and 225 for wheat, and 0, 50, 100 and 150 kg ha-1 as K2O for Basmati rice, along with standard doses of N and P. The crop response to applied K was encouraging at the rates of 75 kg K2O ha-1 for wheat, and 50 kg K2O ha-1 for rice, while further addition proved unpromising. Soil texture played significant role in determining wheat response to applied K, which nevertheless became bleak, when relationship's of soil parameters like clay type, soil texture and soil test K in yield increase expanse were collectively investigated through backward multiple regression equations. The individual roles of these parameters were meager but their cumulative effect was meaningful in response prediction, both in wheat and rice. The order of importance among soil parameters in predicting crop response to applied potassium was clay type (smectites) greater than soil test K greater than soil texture in wheat and soil test K greater than clay type greater than texture in rice.
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