Potassium Fertilization of Eucalyptus in an Entisol in Low-Elevation Cerrado

Abstract

Potassium (K) is one of the most highly accumulating nutrients in Eucalyptus and, consequently, is heavily exported by the harvesting of wood. Moreover, its availability in the soil in most Brazilian plantation areas is very low, especially in the regions of the Cerrado biome, which has soils with low natural fertility and marked water deficits, implying a lack of nutrient supply and, consequently, a less efficient water use. Our objective was to evaluate the effects of K fertilization on Eucalyptus biomass yield, the addition of nutrients to the soil by leaf deposition, nutrient use efficiency, and soil K availability. The experiment was conducted with clone I144 (Eucalyptus urophylla) in the municipality of Três Lagoas/MS, in a Neossolo Quartzarênico Órtico (Entisol). The experimental design was a randomized block with four treatments and five replicates. The treatments consisted of four K doses (0, 90, 135, and 180 kg ha-1 of K 2 O) as KCl. Plant biomass production (leaves, branches, trunk, and bark), senescent leaf deposition, leaf nutrient concentrations, nutrient accumulation in the different plant compartments, nutrient use efficiency, addition of nutrients to the soil by leaf deposition, and soil K availability were evaluated. Potassium fertilization increased the biomass yield of Eucalyptus plants, senescent leaf K content, the transfer of K to the soil, the accumulation of K in the aerial plant parts, and the K content in the soil. However, it did not influence senescent leaf deposition yield or plant K use efficiency.

Residual Influence of Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium Doses on Soil and Eucalyptus Nutrition in Coppice

“…The average soil Ca contents were 3 mmol c dm −3 in the 0-20 cm layer (Table 1) which is considered a very low level for the development of eucalyptus [16]. On the other hand, Gazola et al [18] found that the soil K contents in the eucalyptus planting row at the superficial layer (0.00-0.20 m) at 24, 36, and 66 months after planting and from 0.20 to 0.40 m at 24 months were influenced by the dose of K 2 O (0, 90, 135, and 180 kg ha −1 ).…”

“…The initial growth attributes (DBH, height and total wood volume) did not respond to residual N doses. This can be explained partly by the presence of litter in the forest site [28] and partly by the greater mobility of N in soil, mainly in the form of nitrate in relation to P and K. Gazola et al [18] evaluated clonal eucalyptus plantation and observed that N fertilization positively influenced the growth and stem diameter of eucalyptus trees up to a maximum dose of 63 kg ha −1 at the age of eighteen months.…”

“…Teixeira et al [31] observed an increase in the height of eucalyptus seedlings in a greenhouse experiment with increasing K 2 O fertilizer up to the maximum dose in Brazil. Gazola et al [18] reported that potassium fertilization linearly increased the biomass yield of eucalyptus plants at 66 months (in the first cycle), the K content in the deposition of senescent leaves, K transfer to the soil, the accumulation of K, Ca, Mg, and S in the aerial parts of the plant, the N use efficiency, and the K concentration in the soil. The response of eucalyptus' height as a function of K 2 O dose may vary (may increase, decrease, or even not change significantly), as in the case of the present research that evaluated a residual effect of K 2 O doses in sandy soils.…”

Nutrient Diagnosis of Eucalyptus at the Factor-Specific Level Using Machine Learning and Compositional Methods

“…Brazil is the world leader, producing Eucalyptus on 6 × 10 6 ha with an average yield of 36 m 3 ha −1 year −1 [ 2 ]. While Eucalyptus is adapted to low-fertility soils, nutrient supply, especially N and K [ 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ] can limit stand productivity [ 1 , 7 , 8 ]. Fertilization was found to increase wood production of Eucalyptus grandis by 28% and irrigation by another 30% to reach potential outcome of 83 m 3 ha −1 year −1 , where the most yield-impacting factors are set at near optimum levels [ 9 ].…”

Bioindicadores de qualidade do solo no crescimento inicial de eucalipto sob fertilização organomineral à base de torta de filtro de cana-de-açúcar

“…dose 50% e tratamento com fertilizante mineral na dose recomendada para a cultura permite propor que a utilização do fertilizante organomineral não prejudica o crescimento inicial da muda (Tabela 17). Ressalta-se que o IQD constitui-se de um índice com alta variação, principalmente em razão da espécie cultivada, manejo das mudas, volume do recipiente Destaca-se que o potássio é o nutriente mais acumulado nos tecidos de plantas eucalipto, sendo o híbrido E. urophylla x E. grandis reconhecido pela sua grande eficiência na absorção e utilização desse nutriente(GAZOLA et al, 2019). DAT) to the doses 50%, 150% and 200% of the FOM.…”