Potassium Fertilization Effects on Alfalfa in a Mediterranean Climate

Lloveras, J.; Ferran, J.; Boixadera, Jaime; Bonet, Jordi

doi:10.2134/agronj2001.931139x

Cited by 25 publications

(32 citation statements)

References 23 publications

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“…The reduction of exchangeable K from 0.8 to 0.5 cmol c kg -1 in the first cut and 0.4 cmol c kg -1 in the second cut was due to a higher uptake by alfalfa plants . In highly fertile soils, Lloveras et al (2001) found extraction rates of 1.5 to 1.7 Mg ha -1 of K 2 O, with shoot dry matter yield of 21.5 Mg ha -1 . In the second cut there was a decrease in the soil organic matter (SOM), P, K, Ca, Mg, base saturation, S-SO 4 and B content, compared with the first cut.…”

Section: Soil Chemical Propertiesmentioning

confidence: 93%

Liming influence on soil chemical properties, nutritional status and yield of alfalfa grown in acid soil

Moreira

Fageria

2010

Rev. Bras. Ciênc. Solo

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SUMMARYAlfalfa is an important forage crop with high nutritive value, although highly susceptible to soil acidity. Liming is one of the most efficient and prevailing practices to correct soil acidity and improve alfalfa yield. The objective of this study was to evaluate response to liming of alfalfa grown in a greenhouse on a Typic Quartzipsamment soil. The treatments consisted of four lime rates (0, 3.8, 6.6 and 10.3 Mg ha -1 ) and two cuts. Alfalfa dry matter increased quadratically with increasing lime rates. In general, dry matter yield was maximized by a lime rate of 8.0 Mg ha -1 . Except for the control, the dry matter nutrient contents in the treatments were adequate. The positive linear correlation between root and nodule dry matter with lime rates indicated improvement of these plant traits with decreasing soil acidity. The soil acidity indices pH, base saturation, Ca 2+ concentration, Mg 2+ concentration, and H + Al were relevant factors in the assessment of alfalfa yield. The magnitude of influence of these soil acidity indices on yield as determined by the coefficient of determination (R 2 ) varied and decreased in the order: base saturation, H + Al, pH, Ca and Mg concentrations. Optimum values of selected soil chemical properties were defined for maximum shoot dry matter; these values can serve as a guideline for alfalfa liming to improve the yield of this forage on acid soils.

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Section: Soil Chemical Propertiesmentioning

confidence: 93%

Liming influence on soil chemical properties, nutritional status and yield of alfalfa grown in acid soil

Moreira

Fageria

2010

Rev. Bras. Ciênc. Solo

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“…The response may vary with irrigation and harvest management (Sheaffer et al 1986). A linear but small response to K fertilization was reported in a high-yielding environment in Spain (average annual DM yield of 21.5 Mg ha 21 ) with high soil exchangeable K (Lloveras et al 2001). Alfalfa DM production in our study averaged 13.9 Mg ha 21 in the 2 years (1997 and 1998) when full production (three cuttings) was achieved.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 44%

Irrigated Alfalfa Response to Phosphorus and Potassium in a Calcareous Soil

Berrada

Westfall

2005

Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis

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The response of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) to phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) fertilizer often varies with soil type, the initial soil test P and K levels, irrigation and harvest management, and yield level. The objectives of this study were to determine the response of irrigated alfalfa to P and K fertilizer on a Wetherill loam soil in southwestern Colorado and to assess the impact on soil test P and K levels. Four P (0, 37, 74, and 148 kg ha 21 ) by three K (0, 93, and 186 kg ha 21 ) rates were applied to newly seeded alfalfa in the fall of 1995. An additional 37 kg P ha 21 was applied annually to half of each plot in the spring of 1997, 1998, and 1999. Potassium fertilizer increased alfalfa dry matter (DM) yield significantly in 1996 only. Alfalfa K uptake averaged 311 kg ha 21 yr 21 in 1997-1999. Soil test K level at the 0-to 30-cm depth was not impacted by K fertilization and remained above the critical level throughout the duration of the study. On the basis of these and other research results, a response to K fertilization is unlikely on most alfalfa-producing soils in Colorado because of their high K-buffering capacity. The initial application of 37 -148 kg P ha 21 did not affect alfalfa DM production signifi37 kg P ha 21 yr 21 when no P was applied initially. Both the initial and annual P fertilizer applications increased alfalfa P concentration significantly in 1997 through 1999. Alfalfa P uptake averaged 32.6 kg ha 21 yr 21 . Similarly, the initial and/or annual P application 1213 increased soil ammonium bicarbonate-diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (AB-DTPA) extractable P significantly in 1998 through 2000. When no P was applied, soil test P level at the 0-to 15-cm depth dropped from 8.3 mg kg 21 at the initiation of the study in August 1995 to less than 1.0 mg kg 21 at study termination in April 2000. It took a total of approximately 150 kg P ha 21 to raise soil test P to its initial level after 4 years of production. More than 260 kg P ha 21 would have been required to raise soil test P level to where a response to P fertilization would not be expected. Alfalfa yield response to P fertilizer was small even when soil test P level dropped to well below the critical level. No yield advantage was observed to maintaining soil test P above the critical level. Although not conclusive, our results indicate that annual P fertilizer applications are superior to one-time applications on our calcareous soils. More research is needed to refine P fertilizer recommendations and soil test correlation relationships for irrigated alfalfa hay production in southwestern Colorado.

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“…The N-FRV for alfalfa may be related to forage yields (Munson, 1978;Gault et al, 1995). Alfalfa yields are normally high under irrigated Mediterranean conditions (Lloveras et al, 1998(Lloveras et al, , 2001) and this could explain why the values obtained in the investigation were generally greater than most of those cited above. Even so, the suggested N-FRV value could be considered rather conservative, as it was calculated from an alfalfa stand with only two years of production and with a total production of 31 t ha -1 (Table 3).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 79%

Nitrogen replacement value of alfalfa to corn and wheat under irrigated Mediterranean conditions

Ballesta

Lloveras

2010

Span. j. agric. res.

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In crop rotations that include alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), agronomic and environmental concerns mean that it is important to determine the N fertilizer contribution of this legume for subsequent crops in order to help to increase the sustainability of cropping systems. To determine the N fertilizer replacement value (FRV) of a 2-yr alfalfa crop on subsequent crops of corn (Zea mays L.) followed by wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) under irrigated Mediterranean conditions, two 4-yr rotations (alfalfa-corn-wheat and corn-corn-corn-wheat) were conducted from 2001 to 2004 in a Typic Xerofluvent soil. Corn yields were compared after two years of alfalfa and a third year of corn under monoculture and wheat yields were also compared after both rotations. Corn production after alfalfa outyielded monoculture corn at all four rates of N fertilizer application analyzed (0, 100, 200 and 300 kg N ha -1 ). The FRV of 2-yr alfalfa for corn was about 160 kg N ha -1 . Wheat grown after the alfalfa-corn rotation outyielded that grown after corn under monoculture at both the rates of N studied (0 and 100 kg N ha -1 ). The FRV of alfalfa for wheat following alfalfa-corn was about 76 kg N ha -1 . Soil NO 3 --N content after alfalfa was greater than with the corn monoculture at all rates of N fertilizer application and this higher value persisted during the second crop after alfalfa. This was probably one of the reasons for the better yields associated with the alfalfa rotation. These results make a valuable contribution to irrigated agriculture under mediterranean conditions, show reasons for interest in rotating alfalfa with corn, and explain how it is possible to make savings when applying N fertilizer.Additional key words: crop rotations, fertilizer equivalent, FRV, maize, N contribution, N credit. Resumen Valor de sustitución del nitrógeno procedente de la alfalfa para el maíz y el trigo en regadío en la zona mediterráneaEn las rotaciones que incluyen alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), ésta aporta a los cultivos siguientes una cantidad de N que conviene cuantificar como medida de sostenibilidad. Para determinar el N equivalente o valor de sustitución de N (FRV) de una alfalfa de dos años en el maíz (Zea mays L.) cultivado posteriormente y el trigo (Triticum aestivum L.) subsiguiente en los regadíos mediterráneos, se estudiaron dos rotaciones de 4 años (alfalfa-alfalfa-maíz-trigo y maíz-maíz-maíz-trigo) entre 2001 y 2004 en un suelo Typic Xerofluvent. Se comparó el rendimiento del maíz con dos precedentes distintos: a) 2 años de alfalfa y b) 2 años de maíz, y, posteriormente, el rendimiento del trigo en ambas rotaciones. Las producciones de maíz después de alfalfa superaron las del maíz en monocultivo en las cuatro dosis de fertilizante estudiadas (0, 100, 200 y 300 kg N ha -1 ). El FRV de una alfalfa de 2 años para el maíz se evaluó en unos 160 kg N ha -1 . El trigo después de la rotación alfalfa-maíz dio mayores rendimientos que el producido después del monocultivo de maíz para las dos dosis ensayadas (0 y 100 kg N ha -1 ). El ...

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Potassium Fertilization Effects on Alfalfa in a Mediterranean Climate

Cited by 25 publications

References 23 publications

Liming influence on soil chemical properties, nutritional status and yield of alfalfa grown in acid soil

Liming influence on soil chemical properties, nutritional status and yield of alfalfa grown in acid soil

Irrigated Alfalfa Response to Phosphorus and Potassium in a Calcareous Soil

Nitrogen replacement value of alfalfa to corn and wheat under irrigated Mediterranean conditions

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