Studies on Quantity and Intensity of Potassium in Some Taiwan Farmland Soils

Potassium (K) is one of the major nutritions for plants. The evaluation of K quantity and intensity relationships (K Q / I curve) in different farmland soils is important for the appropriate application of K fertilizer. With this information the pollution of K fertilizer in the environment can be prevented. Potassium ions in solution and in exchange complex are available to plants. However, the K availability is affected by the antagonism of Ca and Mg ions. The K quantity–intensity relationships (K Q / I curve) has been suggested to describe the K availability in soil, taking into account the competition between K ions and Ca and Mg ions for exchange sites on the soil exchange complex. In this experiment, we studied the Q / I plot of the soils and found that the parameters can be used to evaluate the supply state of K. The results show that the K Q / I relationships of the five soils differed as the Ca concentration of the initial solution is varied. This phenomenon reflected different degrees of exchange of K by Ca on the exchangeable sites of the clay minerals. The intensity of the potassium supply of Nieuniaokang and Erling soils possessed higher AR 0 values, indicating that exchangeable K in these soils are primarily on the plannar surface of the clay particles; while those of the Liuying, Shanghua, and Taikang series are primarily on the crystal edge surfaces and are less available to the plant. The K supply intensity of Chiangjung soil is lower when the Ca concentration is low, but it increased when the Ca concentration is high, and the K supply intensity of Pinchen soil is the opposite. The K supply intensity of Nieuniaokang soil is high, but its potential buffering capacity (PBC) is low. Therefore, it is suggested that the K application should be split into small doses to maintain a high K supply intensity. The K supply intensity of Liuying soil is low, but its PBC is large, so it is expected that a large amount of K fertilizers would be needed to increase the K supply intensity to a more available level. The supply intensity and the buffering capacity of the Chiangjung and Pinchen soils are low, and the K management in these soils will be more difficult.