Potassium buffering capacity and corrective potassium fertilizer recommendations in soils from Southern Brazil

Soils with low potassium (K) availability require corrective fertilization for grain crops. The recommended rate to increase K availability up to the critical level depends on the soil K buffering capacity (KBC). This study aimed to quantify the KBC and recalculate the rates necessary to reach the K critical level in 23 soils from Southern Brazil. Soil samples were incubated with six K rates, that were thus grouped according to CECpH7.0: below 7.5 cmol(c) dm(-3) (0, 30, 60, 90, 120 and 180 kg K2O ha(-1)); from 7.6 to 15 cmol(c) dm(-3) (0, 30, 60, 120, 180 and 240 kg K2O ha(-1)) and from 15.1 to 30 cmolc dm(-3) (0, 30, 60, 120, 240 and 360 kg K2O ha(-1)). The soil test K (STK) was extracted by Mehlich(-1) and the fertilizer rates necessary to increase the STK by 1 mg dm(-3) were quantified. The KBC values were correlated with a suite of soil testing metrics. The relationship between the cation exchange capacity (CECpH7.0) and KBC was modeled, and a linear-plateau equation presented the best fit. The K rates were calculated using the following equation: K rate = (Critical Level - STK) x KBC and were compared with the current rate indicated by the Local Soil Fertility Committee. The K fertilizer rates by KBC were about 2.5 times higher than the values currently indicated, and the largest differences were observed in soils with low STK and high CECpH7.0.

Automated summary

This study aimed to quantify the potassium buffering capacity (KBC) of 23 soils in Southern Brazil and recalculate the fertilization rate required to reach the critical level of potassium. The results showed that the fertilizer rates calculated based on KBC were 2.5 times higher than the current recommendations, especially in soils with low potassium content and high cation exchange capacity (CECpH7.0).