ILIA Effect of Continuous Fertilization and Cropping on K Use Efficiency and their Fixation Rajeev Kumar’, B.P. Singh”, Manish Kumar & Amrit Kumar Jha” Abstract: Surface soil of long term cropped and fertilized soil indicates application of K significantly increased its uptake. Agronomic efficiency, physiological efficiency and K fixation decreased with increasing level of K but K uptake, labile K, readily saoailable K, activity ratio and potential buffering capacity increased with increasing level ofk. A drastic reduction was found in K,, Ko, activity ratio and potential buffering capacity was positively and significantly correlated with labile K and readity aoailable K. K uptake had positive correlation with K,, K, and buffering capacity of sil Keywor ‘ong term fertilization, K use efficiency, K fixation), INTRODUCTION Chemical soil test has been widely been used to determine the available k status of soil. Of the several methods in sue, some methods based on physico- chemical concept, which include quantity intensity (Q/1) relationship (Beckett 1964) have been used to study and predict the changes in K dynamics in soils amended with organic or liming material. Q/I relationships were studied for characterizing solid phase supply of K in relation to soil solution characteristics. Pannu et al., 2002 gives the different Q/I parameters for describing the nutrient supplying, power of soil in terms of Intensity, capacity and rate factors that are considered as more meaningful to bring about further refinement in the existing soil test methodology. The classical Q/T curve is obtained from these finding and are related to change in exchangeable K to obtain the effect of quantity on intensity parameters. MATERIALS AND METHODS, A long-term fertilizer experiment with soybean-wheat crop rotation is in progress on an acid soil at the University farm, Ranchi since 1972. The experiment comprised 10 treatments and replicated 4 times. The treatments were described in Table 1. K uptake by crop was measured by standard procedure as described by Jackson, 1973. The soil and plant samples were collected after harvest of Soybean crop in 1999. Agronomic use efficiency and apparent recovery per cent was calculated by standard formula Physiological efficiency (PE) was calculated by yield under test treatment (kg ha") minus yield under control (kg ha’) divided by uptake of K in the test treatment (kg ha) minus yield under control (kg ha’). K harvest index was measured by grain uptake divided by grain + straw K uptake. K fixing capacity of soil was calculated after incubation studies. The quantity, Intensity relationship parameters such as labile K (K,), equilibrium activity ratio (AR,*), potential buffering capacity (PBC) were calculated according to the procedure outlined by Beckett (1964). RESULTS AND DISCUSSION K Uptake, Use Efficiency and Harvest Index K uptake, K efficiency and harvest index of different treatments (Table 1) indicated that K uptake was significantly influenced by k application. Treatment having combination of FYM with 100% NPK level accrued highest uptake of K (82.7 kg ha) by crop followed by NPK + Lime and lowest values (5.6 kg ha") obtained in 100% N treated plot which was lowest than control (11.37 kg ha"). FYM and liming in general were beneficial in mitigating soil acidity, creating a favourable soil environment in influencing K uptake by soybean crop. Improvement of nutrient = Depit. of Soil Science, “*SMS, KVK, Lohardaga, “SMS, KVK, Sahebgan} Vol. 28, No. 1-2, January-June 2010 183Rajeev Kumar, 8. P. Singh, Manish Kumar & Amrit Kumar Jha Tablet Effect of Continuous Fertilization and Cropping on K Use Efficiency Treatment K uptake ‘Agronomic ‘Apparent K Physiological Kharvest (Kghar) efficiency use efficiency efficiency Index (ig grain kg? (%) (hg grain kg-1 ‘Kapplied) ‘Kuptake) 50% NPK +W. 464 Ba 468 813 ost 100% NPK + W m5 81 937 mai 025 150% NPK + W 767 189 66.2 a 025 100% NPK + WH a7 269 668 n3 028 100%NPK+Lime+W 804 305 108.4 ma 025 100% NP + W" 370 2 = : 030 100% N+ W. 56 3 : : 026 100%8NPK+EYM+W 827 227 42 ns 026 100% N(S)PK+W 25 103 36.2 853 036 Controt ma : : ee uptake due to organic manure and lime application were earlier reported by Singh and Tomar, 1993. Agronomic efficiency and physiological efficiency decreased with increasing levels of potash but apparent K use efficiency and harvest index had not definite trends. Agronomic efficiency and apparent K use efficiency were highest in 100% NPK + FYM (32.7 and 114.2%) followed by 100% NPK + Lime (30.5 and 108.4%) and lowest in ammonium sulphate application (10.3 and 36.2%) whereas physiological use efficiency was highest in ammonium sulphate treatment followed by 50% NPK and lowest in 150% NPK application. K harvest index was not in definite trends. K Fixation K fixed by soils receiving different treatments is presented in Table 2. On perusal of data it is evident that per cent K fixation was higher in lower K added and lower fixation on highest K added soil. Average K fixation indicated that fixation of K decreased with increasing level of K fertilizer. Among 100% K application, highest K fixation was obtained in 100% NPK + lime (50.6%) closely followed by 100% NPK (48.2%) and 100% NPK + FYM. Table2 Effect of Continuous Cropping and Fertlized Soll on Potassium Fixation Labile K Levels of K added (ng kg-1) 0 90 Treatment 5 10 30 C 120 150 Average K Fixation (%) 50% NPK + W 736 538 391 497 592 96 526 539 100% NPK + W 648 472 347 497 606 501 306 482 150% NPK + HW 618 428 a3 ol 364 239 2A 359 100% NPK + HW 736 588 399 229 aaa 345 Ma 451 100%NPK+Lime+W 780 626 483 3a 492 388 387 506 100% NP +W 868 340 318. 29 45 342 350 423 100% N+ W 692 428 193 289 357 39 319 362 100% NPK+FYM+W. 780 327 362 340 457 340 360 452 100% N(S)PK+W 556 26 aa 23 331 316 284 317, Controt 560 472 318. m8 474 309 24 390 Uncropped 60a 494 7187 513 382 33.8 377 ‘The labile form of K is the loosely held K being exchanged by calcium ions from colloidal surface Table 3 reveal that the highest values of labile K (0.2 me 100 g") was obtained in 100% NPK + FYM + W followed by 0.18 me K 100 g" in 150% NPK + W treatmentand lowest values of 0.06 me 100g" in 100% N+ Wand 100% NP + W treatment which was even’ lower than control (0.11 me/100 g soil). The labile K was lower than exchangeable K in these soils indicating that only a fraction of the exchangeable K 184 International Journal of Tropical Agriculture © Serials Publications, ISSN: 0254-8755Effect of Continuous Fertilization and Cropping on K Use Efficiency and their Fixation is replaceable with other cations available to plant, Considering the spatial double layer arrangement of counter ions on the colloidal surface the source of labile K may be from diffuse double layer. Readily available potassium (K,) followed the similar trend as that of K,, K, and K, values and increased with increasing dose of fertilizer NPK (Lal et al,, 1998). Tables Eifect of Continuous Fertilization and Cropping on Quantity, Intensity Relationship of Potasriums he % ARE PBC Treatments mel00g' me 100g" (M/)*x10% mefMA® Soil Soil 50% NPK+ W 013007 120583. 100% NPK+W 015 009 146 1d 150% NPK+HW 018 oa 190642 100% NPK+HW 016 010 148642 TOOKNPK+LimesW 018017 130877 100% NP+ W 005 a4 10 450 100% N+ W. 005 aot 110409 100% NPK*FYM+W 0200.4 240583 100% N(SIN+W 013 0.09 17 329 Controt oat 006 128 459 Uncropped 11006 120550 Activity ratio (AR,,*) The equilibrium activity ratio ranged from 1 to 24 x 10° M/L"”, The value of AR,* increased with increasing level of NPK which was the result of K addition. Higher AR_¥ value in 150% NPK + W and 100% NPK + FYM treatments as compared to 100% NPK were attributed to higher K application rates and the K supplied through physical and biochemical effects caused by FYM addition (Kher and Minhas; 1991). The lower value of AR,*, K, and K, and K,, were observed where K,O was not applied. This may be due to the higher cation retention power, which implied that only a small amount of K would remain in soil solution. Potential Buffering Capacity Itis a measure of the ability of the soil to maintain the intensity of K in the soil solution. PBC increased with increasing level of K. The lowest values of PBC was obtained in 100% N + W (40.9 me/ML’?) where K not added and highest value in 150% NPK + W (64.2, me/ML") where K was added (Panu et al,, 2002). Generally PBC* of soils is merely affected by short- term changes in AR, Slightly lower PBC* in FYM treated plot could be attributed to blocking of exchange sites with organic cations. ‘Thus potassium application along with N & P is important to maintain the proper K dynamics in soil solid and soil solution which in turn lead to maintain soil health in sustaining the crop productivity.» REFERENCES Beckett, P. H. T. (1964), Studies on Soil Potassium II. The Immediate Q/1 Relation of Labile Potassium in the Soil J. Soil Sci, 15, 9. Jackson M.L, (1973), Soil Chemical Analysis. Prentice Hall India Pvt. Ltd,, New Delhi Kher, D. and Minhas, R, S. (1991), Changes in the Form of Potassium with Continuous Manuring and Cropping in an Alfisol. |. Indian Soc Soil Sei, 39, 365. Lal. B. Singh, D. and Hassan, R. (1998), Dynamics of Soil K Under Intensive Cropping as Measured by * Step K and Constant Rate K. J. Indian Soc, Soil Sci, 46(2), 198, Pannu, R. P. S,, Yadvinder Singh and Bijay Singh (2002), Effect of Long Term Application of Organic Materials on Quantity Intensity (Q/1) Relationship of Potassium in the Soils Under Rice-wheat Cropping System, J. Pot Res, 18,6. Singh V. and Tomar, J.S. (1993), Effect of Potassium and Lime Application on Yield and Uptake of Nutrients, by Wheat. J. Pot. Res., 9(3), 271 Vol. 28, No. 1-2, January-June 2010 185