Potassium- a Declining Plant Nutrient

Rajan Bhatt,
Assistant Professor (Soil Science)

Krishi Vigyan Kendra,Kapurthala (Punjab)

rajanbhatt79@rediffmail.com,(98159-63858)

Potash is the third most important plant nutrient which is required by the plant for
carrying out it’s different metabolic activities and to complete it’s life cycle. The issue
discusses the importance of potassium as a key plant nutrient and problems associated with
excess and/or deficiencies of potassium in the plant. Many plant physiologists consider
potassium second only to nitrogen in importance for plant growth. Potassium is second to
nitrogen in plant tissue levels with ranges of 1 to 3% by weight. As a trivia, potassium is the
only essential plant nutrient that is not a constituent of any plant part.
1. Potassium is a key nutrient in the plants tolerance to stresses such as cold/hot
temperatures, drought, wear and pest problems.
2. Potassium acts as catalysts for many of the enzymatic processes in the plant that are
necessary for plant growth to take place.
3. Another key role of potassium is the regulation of water use in the plant
(osmoregulation). This osmoregulation process affects water transport in the xylem,
maintains high daily cell turgor pressure which affects wear tolerance, affects cell
elongation for growth and most importantly it regulates the opening and closing of the
stomates which affect transpirational cooling and carbon dioxide uptake for
photosynthesis.
Unless truly deficiency occurs, potassium has very little effect on quality such as
color and density. However, once potassium deficiency occurs, it can have a dramatic affect
on the plants ability to survive and function during stress periods such as high temperatures,
drought and wear. Initial potassium deficiency shows up as yellowing of older leaf blades,
lower leaf blades, which is then followed by dieback of the leaf tip and scorching of leaf
margins as the deficiency problem becomes worse. Once these conditions occur, wear injury
for the turf plants will increase significantly. Factors which can lead to potassium deficiency
include:
1.leaching in sandy soils or soils with low CEC values.
2. Sites being irrigated with water that is high in sodium and where high rates of calcium and
magnesium or added through the irrigation water or through the fertilization program.
There are four different sources of potassium in the soil. The largest soil component of
Potassium, 90 to 98%, is the soil minerals such as feldspar and mica. Very little of this
Potassium source is available for plant use. The second soil potassium source is the Non-
exchangeable potassium, 1 to l0 %, and is associated with the 2: 1 clay minerals. The Non-
exchangeable potassium source acts as a reserve source of potassium in the soil. The third
soil potassium source, 1 to 2%, is called the exchangeable or readily available potassium and
is found on the cation exchange sites or in the soil solution. The soil solution potassium is
readily taken up by the plants root system and is then replaced by the potassium on the
exchange sites. A fourth source of potassium in the soil is the potassium contained in organic
matter and within the soil microbial population. This soil source of potassium provides very
little of the potassium needed for plant growth.
Potassium uptake is most rapid on warm, moist soils that are well aerated and have a
slightly acidic to neutral pH. As soil temperature increases, plant metabolic activity increases
which increases root growth and root activity. Warmer soil temperatures also increase the
diffusion rate of potassium in the soil solution which increases potassium uptake by the root
system. Excess soil moisture can lower soil oxygen levels which in turn decrease the
respiration rate for the plants root system and thus lowers potassium uptake. Also, excess
water can increase the amount of leaching of potassium, particularly in sandy soils. In
alkaline soils, increased levels of other cations such as calcium, potassium and sodium can
affect the availability of potassium in the soil. The calcium and magnesium cations can
displace the potassium from the exchange sites on the clay particles and sodium competes
with potassium for uptake by the plants root system. Application of potassium fertilizer will
be determined by factors such as soil potassium level, soil type, time of the year and use
activity for the site.
As with any nutrient, potassium programs should be based on soil test results and it’s report
and only those filed having less than 137.5 kg ha-1 be selected to carry out demonstrations of
Potash.
1. Sandy soils or soils with low cation exchange capacity (CEC), will require light frequent
applications of potassium fertilizer as opposed to clay type soils with high to very high levels
of potassium. Soils with high levels of other cations such as calcium, magnesium or sodium
will also probably require more frequent, light applications of potassium. When applications
of amendments and/or fertilizers containing high rates of calcium or magnesium are used, a
follow up application of potassium should be made to the site since these cations can displace
potassium from the soil exchange sites.
2. As use of the site increases, so should the amount of potassium fertilization. During
periods of heavy use, apply light, frequent applications of potassium to the soil.
3. Spring and fall is the most important time of the year to make potassium fertilizer
applications.
Potassium is a key nutrient in the development of new root growth. In the fall, plant tissue
levels of potassium are very critical in preparing the plants for winter survival. Low plant
tissue levels in the fall to early winter months can dramatically increase the potential for
winter injury.
Thus at last we can say that Potassium is a key essential plant nutrient. In this connection, to
prove the importance of Potash in plants, 14 demonstrations had been carried out by Krishi
Vigyan Kendra, Kapurthala (Punjab) at the farmer’s fields in Wheat and paddy crops from
the year 2007 onward. In these demonstrations, first initial inherent soil fertility with respect
to Potash was analysed and only fields having low Potash status were selected and in these
demonstrations potash was applied @ of 50 kg ha-1 .

Demonstration 1. Effect of Potash fertilizer on wheat yield during Rabi 2007.

Soil Fertility Status:

Sr Name of the farmers and address Variety Date of Initial Potash status
No. sowing (kg/ha)

1. Sh. Gurdeep Singh S/o Sh. Sunder PBW-343 9-11-07 130.5 (Low)
Singh, Vill: Kolianwal

2. Sh. Jasjeet Singh S/o Sh. Hari Singh, PBW-343 11-11-07 129.5 (Low)
Vill: Blerkhanpur

3. Sukhwinder Singh S/o Sh. Mohinder PBW-343 6-11-07 109.3 (Low)

Singh, Vill: Blerkhanpur

4. Sh. Gurcharan Singh S/o Sh. Gurmej PBW-343 14-11-07 90.5 (Low)
Singh, Vill: Talwandi Mehma

5. Sh. Mohinder Singh S/o Sh. Kesar PBW-343 16-11-07 112.0 kg (Low)
Singh, Vill: Blerkhanpur

Result

Sr Name of farmer Date of Date of Effective 1000 grain Yield (q/ha)

 N sowing Harvest tillers/M2 wt/M2
o. ing
with without with without with without
'K' 'K' 'K' 'K' 'K' 'K'

1. Sh. Gurdeep Singh s/o 9-11-07 26-4-08 386 384 47.56 44.86 46.92 44.52
Sunder Singh, Vill: (5.3%)
Kolianwal (6.0%)

2. Jasjeet Singh S/o Hari 11-11-07 28-4-08 378 377 46.30 43.80 45.55 43.65
Singh, Vill: Blerkhanpur (5.7%) (4.4%)

3. Sukhwinder Singh S/o 6-11-07 24-4-08 376 376 47.92 46.12 46.90 45.08
Mohinder Singh, Vill: (3.9%) (4.0%)
Blerkhanpur

4. Gurchetan Singh S/o 14-11-07 28-4-08 380 379 48.08 45.68 46.68 44.60
Gurmaij Singh, Vill: (5.3%) (4.6%)
Talwandi Mehma

5. Mohinder Singh S/o 16-11-07 30-4-08 388 385 49.06 46.96 47.42 44.82
Kesar Singh, Vill: (4.5%) (5.8%)
Blerkhanpur

Discussion :

Highest response or percent increase in yield was observed in the field of Sh.
Mohinder Singh S/o Kesar Singh of village Bleirkhanpur as supported by the other
parameters viz. Effective tillers/M2 (3t/m2) and 1000 grain wt (9.1%) (Maximum increase in
these parameter in response to potash as compared to others). However, percent increase in
1000 grain weight varied from 6.21 to 9.10%. Therefore, it was evident that 4.0 to 5.8%
increase in grain yield is possible if Potash fertilizer is applied in potash deficient soils. For
this, testing of soil samples is must.

2. Demonstrations regarding the judicious use of Potash fertilizer during wheat

2008-09.

Result
Sr. Name of the farmer Vari Date of Date of K status Grain Yield (q/ha)
No. and address ety sowing harves (kg/acre
ting ) Contr Treated 50 Percent
ol kg MOP Increase
per ha
01. S. Karamajit Singh S/o PBW- 17-11-08 22-4-09 40.8 45.5 47.5 4.4
Sh. Swaran Singh, Vill: 343 (Low)
Mirpur
02. Sh. Surinder Singh S/o PBW- 12-11-08 20-4-09 42.4 42.5 44.8 5.2
Sh. Hazara Singh, Vill: 343 (Low)
Patti Navi Bakash
 03. Sh. Swaran Singh S/o PBW- 10-11-08 20-4-09 52.4 45.0 47.7 6.3
Sh. Gurmail Singh, 502 (Low)
Vill: Boolpur
04. KVK, Kapurthala farm PBW- 26-11-08 28-4-09 34.6 47.5 49.3 3.6
550 (Low)
05. Sh. Gurdeep Singh S/o PBW- 10-11-08 16-4-09 44.4 44.5 46.8 5.1
Sh. Sunder Singh, Vill: 343 (Low)
Kolianwala

Discussion
It was observed that the percent increase in the grain yield by applying murate of potash
@ 50 kg/ha varied from 3.6 to 6.3%.
3. Demonstrations regarding the judicious use of K fertilizer during kharif 2009
Result

Sr. Name of farmers Variety Date of Date of K status Grain yield (q/ha) %
No. and address transplan harvesting T1 T2 (50 kg Increa
ting Control MOP/ha) se
1. Sh. Surinder Singh HKR47 28-6-09 1-11-09 111.0 (L) 70.0 72.0 2.8
S/o Sh. Hazara Singh,
Vill: Patti Navi
Bakash
2. Sh. Sarwan Singh S/o Pusa 44 22-6-09 30-10-09 131.5 (L) 78.75 82.0 4.1
Sh. Gurmail Singh,
Vill: Boolpur
3. Sh. Gurdeep Singh Pusa44 20-6-09 28-10-09 119.0 (L) 76.25 79.75 4.5
S/o Sh. Sunder Singh,
Vill: Kolianwal
4. Sh. Harjeet Singh S/o HKR 127 28-6-09 30-10-09 111.5 (L) 70.0 73.0 4.2
Sh. Mohinder Singh,
Vill: Biharipur

The percent increase in the grain yield varies from 2.8 to 4.5% in the plots where Potash
applies @ 50 kg/ha as compared to the control plots in the low K-status soils.

Thus, at last it is important to state that, Potash is an important plant nutrient which support the
plant in facing the adverse conditions and to improve tfood quality, but at the same time it is
also important that Potash should be applied only in the soils having low Potash status viz. K
<137.5 kg ha-1.