1 POTASSIUM FOR CROP PRODUCTION IN LIGHT TEXTURED SOILS OF SOUTHERN HARYANA Sat at at at atyavir S yavir S yavir S yavir S yavir Singh ingh ingh ingh ingh Yadav adav adav adav adav Sultan Singh Sultan Singh Sultan Singh Sultan Singh Sultan Singh Ab Ab Ab Ab Abha ha ha ha ha Tikkoo ikkoo ikkoo ikkoo ikkoo Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University Regional Research Station Bawal (Distt- Rewari) - 123501 Haryana, India 2008
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Satyavir Singh Yadav Sultan Singh Abha TikkooSatyavir Singh Yadav Sultan Singh Abha Tikkoo Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University Regional Research Station Bawal (Distt-
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POTASSIUM FOR CROP PRODUCTIONIN
LIGHT TEXTURED SOILSOF
SOUTHERN HARYANA
SSSSSatatatatatyavir Syavir Syavir Syavir Syavir Singh ingh ingh ingh ingh YYYYYadavadavadavadavadavSultan SinghSultan SinghSultan SinghSultan SinghSultan SinghAbAbAbAbAbha ha ha ha ha TTTTTikkooikkooikkooikkooikkoo
Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural UniversityRegional Research Station
Bawal (Distt- Rewari) - 123501Haryana, India
2008
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
We wish to avail this opportunity to express our gratitude toInternational potash Instiute, IPI , Switzerland for sponsoring the AdhocResearch Project on “Studies on Potash responses to field Crops in lighttextured soils of southern Haryana” and publication of this bulletins entitled “Potassium for crop Production is light textured soils of Southern Haryana.”
We also express our sincere gratitude to Dr. Patricia Imass , Co-coordinator India, IPI, Switzerland and Dr . S.K . Bansal , Director, PRII ,Gurgaon for their keen interest in the implementation of the research projectand publication of this bulletin.
The information contained in the bulletins is based on scientific datagenerated in above mentioned project and will be useful to farmers,researchers, extension workers, students and to all agriculturists.
We express our sincere thanks to Professor and Head Departmentof Soil Science ,CCSHAU, Hisar and Regional Director , RRS, Bawal fortheir coopration and support. We Sincerely acknowledge assistance ofour laboratory and field staff for carrying out the research work.
.
Satyavir Singh Yadav
Sultan Singh
Abha Tikkoo
RRS, BawalDecember, 2008
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CONTENTS
Sl. No. Particulars Page
1. Introduction 1
2. Potassium content of Soil 1-2
3. Role of potassium 3
4. Symptoms of potassium deficiency 4-5
5. Potassium need of crop and cropping systems 5-6
6. Site Characteristics 6-7
7. Potassium responses in cropping systems 7-23
8. Experiments at farmers field 24-27
9. Conclusions 28
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Introduction
Potassium (K) is one of the seventeen elements which are essential for growth
and development of plants. It is a major (micro, primary) plant nutrient because
of large amount in which it is absorbed by plant. The quantity of potassium
absorbed by roots is second to that of nitrogen for most of the cultivated plants.
Potassium in soil is viewed in terms of forms such as structural, non-exchange-
able, exchangeable and water soluble. Also, potassium is readily soluble in
nature. Potassium in soil can move with relative ease to various positions such as
exchange sites on clay colloid, in soil solution, diffuse out toward plant roots to
be absorbed, move up in the plant system or move out of plants tops and roots
back into the soil, be converted into non-exchangeable form or leach out the soil
with drain water.
Potassium content of soilsPotassium content of soilsPotassium content of soilsPotassium content of soilsPotassium content of soils
The potassium content of soil varies depending upon the composition of
parent rocks and minerals from which they are formed, degree of weathering,
climatic conditions and cropping pattern. It has been estimated that in 1980, the
available K status of 82 percent soils of Haryana was high and the remaining
18 percent were medium. But due to intensive cropping, continuous mining and
limited use of K fertilizer the available K status of Haryana soils has decreased.
At present, 7.8, 42.2 and 50 percent of the soils of the state are low, medium
and high in available K status respectively (Fig.1)
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Fig.1: Available Potash Status in Soil of Haryana (2004)
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Role of PotassiumRole of PotassiumRole of PotassiumRole of PotassiumRole of Potassium
The major functions of potassium can be stated briefly as :
· Activation of about 60 enzymes, involved in photosynthesis, metabo-lism of carbohydrates and protein.
· Assistance in the synthesis and translocation of carbohydrates, protein
synthesis, membrane permeability, stomatal regulation and water utili-
zation.
· Improves utilization of nitrogen.
· Improves utilization of sunlight during cool and cloudy period.
· Enhances resistance of plants in many cases to with stand pest, diseases
and stresses as created by drought, frost, salinity, sodicity etc.
· Improves crop quality characteristics in a number of crops, in addition
to final yield increase.
· In cereal, it stimulates growth due to its effect on cell extension as K is
the most important in organic osmatic component. Larger cells as a
result of adequate K nutrition imply more synthesis of cell wall material.
The thick cell wall provides more tissue stability and improves the resis-
tance of crops against lodging, pest and diseases. In wheat and other
crops, the potassium also influences growth through the formation of
leaf surface which improves the relative growth rate, assimilation rate
of photosynthesis and final yield.
· In coconut, potassium reduces prebearing age of plants and increases
fruit set, nut weight and copra production while in coffee and tea, it
helps to develop a strong frame.
· In banana, it stimulates early shooting, shortens the time of maturity,
increases the number of bunch, finger size, quality flavour, keeping
quality and reduces water uptake.
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Symptoms of potassium deficiencySymptoms of potassium deficiencySymptoms of potassium deficiencySymptoms of potassium deficiencySymptoms of potassium deficiency
The general symptoms of potassium deficiency in plants are as follow-
ing:
· Chlorosis along leaf margins followed by scorching and browning of
tips of older leaves which gradually progress inward.
· Slow and stunted growth.
· Week stalks and susceptibility to lodging, pest, disease, frost etc.
· Low yields.
· Shrivelled grain and in general poor crop quality.
Potassium deficiency in pearlmillet (Bawal, Haryana, India 2005)
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Potassium deficiency in Mustard (Ludhiana, Punjab, India 2006)
Potassium deficiency in Cabbage (Delhi India 1990)
PPPPPotassium need of crops and cropping systemotassium need of crops and cropping systemotassium need of crops and cropping systemotassium need of crops and cropping systemotassium need of crops and cropping system
Earlier, potassium did not receive much attention because of the believe that
our soils were well supplied with potassium. Infact, crop removal of potassium
often equals or exceed that of nitrogen. Upon intensive cropping and continu-
ous cropping with high yielding varieties and with higher dose of N and P
9
application with practically very little or no K application, the soils which were
considered to be sufficient in available potash, are developing potassium defi-
ciency in soil. As we know that intensive cropping with high yielding varieties
make considerable demand on the soil nutrient resources, it is, therefore, quite
likely for soils not able to maintain sufficiency in available potash. Hence, the
soils which were rated sufficient in available K have begin to show responses to
K under intensive use of N and P fertilizer. Field crops generally absorb potas-
sium faster than they absorb N or P. Where farmers do not apply potash, the
crops withdraw it entirely from soil reserve. The rate at which soil potassium is
depleted and crop responses to potassium is not the same with different crops
and cropping systems.
The farmers of South-West zone of Haryana are generally not using potassic
fertilizer in field crops. Therefore, to educate the farmers about the importance
of potash application in crop, to study the potash responses in different crop
rotation and to study the potassium uptake by crops and its buildup and deple-
tion in soil, field studies are being conducted since 2002 at farmer's field as well
as the Research Farm of CCS HAU, Regional Research Station, Bawal (Rewari)
- Haryana (India) under IPI Coordination Adhoc Research Project.
Site CharacteristicsSite CharacteristicsSite CharacteristicsSite CharacteristicsSite Characteristics
The South Western part of Haryana consists of arid tracks of the state. Major
part of the zone is receiving rainfall about 300-550mm per annum with less
than 25 rainy days and coefficient of variation is more than 45percent. Tem-
perature variations are quite high touching 48 degree Celsius during summer
and a low as around 0 degree Celsius during winter. Annual potential evapo-
transpiration of 1600 to 1700mm exits and water deficiency of 1200 to 1400mm
is experienced.
The soil of experimental field at RSS, Bawal was loamy sand in texture (Typic
Ustochrept ) and the initial (Kharif 2002) pH2 was 8.56, EC
2 0.21 dS/m,
organic carbon 0.20%, available P 13.34 kg/ha and available K2O 160 kg/
ha.
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POTASSIUM
RESPONSE IN
CROPPING SYSTEMS
POPOPOPOPOTTTTTASSIUM RESPONSE IN CROPPING SYSTEMSASSIUM RESPONSE IN CROPPING SYSTEMSASSIUM RESPONSE IN CROPPING SYSTEMSASSIUM RESPONSE IN CROPPING SYSTEMSASSIUM RESPONSE IN CROPPING SYSTEMS
The field experiment was carried with following treatments in wheat (PBW-
343) - pearlmillet (HHB-117) crop rotation.
Treatments (kg/ha) Wheat Pearlmillet
T1 N120
P60
K0
N90
P60
K0
T2 N120
P60
K30
N90
P60
K0
T3 N120
P60
K60
N90
P60
K0
T4 N150
P60
K0
N120
P60
K0
T5 N150
P60
K30
N120
P60
K0
T6 N150
P60
K60
N120
P60
K0
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Information GeneratedInformation GeneratedInformation GeneratedInformation GeneratedInformation Generated
A five year long experiment on wheat-pearlmillet cropping sequence indicated
that application of K increased the yield of both crops. However the increase in
seed yield of wheat was significant upto 30 K2O kg/ha whereas its residual
effect in pearlmillet was significant at 60 K2O/ha. Addition of 30 K
2O/ha in-
creased the wheat grain by 6.39 and 6.62 percent with 120 and 150 kg N/ha
and pearlmillet grain yield by 6.49 and 5.54 percent with 90 and 120 kg N/ha,
respectively (Fig 11). The results further indicated that K application also in-
creased the K-uptake by both crops (Fig 12). The study on K buildup and deple-
tion revealed that after harvest of five years of wheat-pearlmillet rotation, the
available K status of soil decreased from 158.0 kg K2O/ha to 124.1, 141.7
and 150.9 kg K2O/ha with application of 0, 30 and 60 kg K
2O/ha, respectively
(Fig 13).
Fig 11 : Effect of potash on grain yield of wheat and pearlmillet
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K0
K30
Response of Potash in Wheat
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Fig 12 : Effect of potash on seed K uptake by wheat and pearlmillet.
Fig 13 : Effect of potash on avaliable K content of soil in wheat-pearlmiller
rotation
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Effect of K fertilization on protein content in grain/seed of cropsEffect of K fertilization on protein content in grain/seed of cropsEffect of K fertilization on protein content in grain/seed of cropsEffect of K fertilization on protein content in grain/seed of cropsEffect of K fertilization on protein content in grain/seed of crops
Potassium is known as the 'quality nutrient' because of its important effect
on quality factor like size, shape, colour, taste, shelf life, fiber quality, protein
content. It indirectly improves utilization of N which in turn improves protein
formation. Application of K in clusterbean-mustard, pearlmillet-wheat, wheat-
pearlmillet and pearlmillet-mustard cropping sequence increased the grain /
seed protein content over control. The significant increase in protein content in
clusterbean-mustard was observed at 40 kg K2O/ha; in pearlmillet-wheat at 60
kg K2O/ha; in wheat-pearlmillet at 60 kg K
2O/ha and in pearlmillet-mustard at
40 kg K2O/ha (Table 1).
Table 1.Direct and residual effect of potassium on protein content in