Importance of the subsoil for the K nutrition of crops

Kuhlmann, H.

doi:10.1007/bf00010845

Cited by 51 publications

(34 citation statements)

References 17 publications

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“…Other studies have shown that subsoil K uptake in spring cereals can account for up to 50 % of total K uptake (Kuhlmann 1990) and up to 55 % in ryegrass and clover mixtures (Witter and Johansson 2001). Hence, it is possible that, due to the deeper root systems generally found in multiple-crop systems, such subsoil K resources can be utilised more effectively, when crops are subjected to interspecific competition.…”

Section: Potassiummentioning

confidence: 99%

Plant: soil interactions in temperate multi-cropping production systems

2013

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Section: Potassiummentioning

confidence: 99%

Plant: soil interactions in temperate multi-cropping production systems

2013

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“…The importance of subsoil K is clearly apparent from K/Rb isotope dilution studies demonstrating that the extent of uptake is directly proportional to rooting depth [99][100][101] . This uptake is largely concentrated in the vegetative biomass 33,102 , and enriches the surface soil when inorganic K leaches from plant shoots or residues 8,9,81,[102][103][104][105][106] (see supplemental references [35][36][37][38][39][40][41][42][43][44][45] for the online version of the paper).…”

Section: Evaluation Of Soil Potassium Testingmentioning

confidence: 99%

The potassium paradox: Implications for soil fertility, crop production and human health

Khan

Mulvaney

Ellsworth

2013

Renew. Agric. Food Syst.

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Intensive fertilizer usage of KCl has been inculcated as a prerequisite for maximizing crop yield and quality, and relies on a soil test for exchangeable K in the plow layer to ensure that soil productivity will not be limited by nutrient depletion. The interpretive value of this soil test was rigorously evaluated by: (1) field sampling to quantify biweekly changes and seasonal trends, (2) characterizing the variability induced by air drying and the dynamic nature of soil K reserves and (3) calculating the K balance in numerous cropping experiments. These evaluations leave no alternative but to question the practical utility of soil K testing because test values cannot account for the highly dynamic interchange between exchangeable and non-exchangeable K, exhibit serious temporal instability with or without air drying and do not differentiate soil K buildup from depletion. The need for routine K fertilization should also be questioned, considering the magnitude and inorganic occurrence of profile reserves, the recycling of K in crop residues and the preferential nature of K uptake. An extensive survey of more than 2100 yield response trials confirmed that KCl fertilization is unlikely to increase crop yield. Contrary to the inculcated perception of KCl as a qualitative commodity, more than 1400 field trials predominately documented a detrimental effect of this fertilizer on the quality of major food, feed and fiber crops, with serious implications for soil productivity and human health.

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“…Additionally, there may have been substantial K uptake from the subsoil, particularly in systems with negative soil system budgets. Experiments using a K/Rb isotope dilution method on loess-parabrown soils in N. Germany have showed that the subsoil (>30 cm depth) supplied between 9 and 70% of the total K uptake in spring wheat [50].…”

Section: Potassiummentioning

confidence: 99%

N, P, and K Budgets and Changes in Selected Topsoil Nutrients over 10 Years in a Long-Term Experiment with Conventional and Organic Crop Rotations

Korsæth

2012

Applied and Environmental Soil Science

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This study presents soil system budgets of N, P and K in six contrasting cropping systems during 10 years of a long-term experiment in southeast Norway. The experiment included systems with arable cash-cropping and with mixed arable-dairy cropping (cash-and fodder crops), with organic and conventional management represented in both groups. All major nutrient inputs and outputs were measured or estimated. State of the art conventional cash-cropping appeared to be balanced in terms of N, whereas conventional mixed cropping had an N surplus. By contrast, less up to date conventional arable cash-cropping and all the organic systems showed indications of soil organic N depletion (negative N budgets). All the organic systems showed that mining of the soil P and K content occurs, whereas the conventional systems all had P and K surpluses. The results corresponded well with measured differences between systems in terms of ignition loss, P-AL, K-AL and K-HNO 3 measured in 2009. This study shows that a fertile soil may be exposed to substantial mining of N, P and K over many years before it is detectable by traditional analyses, and that field nutrient budgeting is a feasible, but data-demanding, approach to detect such misbalances at an early stage.

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Importance of the subsoil for the K nutrition of crops

Cited by 51 publications

References 17 publications

Plant: soil interactions in temperate multi-cropping production systems

Plant: soil interactions in temperate multi-cropping production systems

The potassium paradox: Implications for soil fertility, crop production and human health

N, P, and K Budgets and Changes in Selected Topsoil Nutrients over 10 Years in a Long-Term Experiment with Conventional and Organic Crop Rotations

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