Influence of Accompanying Anions on Potassium Retention and Leaching in Potato Growing Alluvial Soils

A column study was carried out to assess the influence of accompanying anions on potassium （K） leaching at potato growing sites with different soil textures （sandy loam and clay loam） in northwestern India. Potassium was applied in the top 15 cm layer of soil column at 30 and 60 mg K kg-1 through different sources having different accompanying anions （CI-, SO^-, NO3 and H2PO4-）. Maximum K was retained in the top 0-15 cm layer with a sharp decrease in K content occurring in 15 30 cm layer of the soil column. The trend was similar for both levels of applied K as well as frequency of leaching and soil type. The decrease of K content in soil column after four leaching events was maximum in case of Khanaura sandy loam, while only minor decrease was observed in Hundowal clay loam when K was applied at 60 mg K kg-1, indicating higher potential of clay rich soil to adsorb K. In general, the K leaching in presence of the accompanying anions followed the order of SO4^2-≤ H2PO42- 〈 NO3 = Cl-. Highest 1 mol·L^-1 CH3COONH4-extractable K was retained when K was applied along with SO4^2- and H2PO4 anions, and the least was retained when accompanying anion was Cl-. The influence of anions was more pronounced in the light textured soil and at high amounts of K application. Higher levels of K application resulted in higher losses of K, especially in sandy loam soil as observed from the leachate concentration. Among the different K sources, the maximum amount of K leaching was noticed in the soil column amended with KC1. After four leachings, the maximum amount of K leached out was 6.40 mg L-1 in Hundowal clay loam and 9.29 mg L-1 in Khanaura sandy loam at 60 mg K kg-1 of soil application through KC1. These concentrations were lower than the recommended guideline of the World Health Organisation （12.00 mg L-1）.

A column study was carried out to assess the influence of accompanying anions on potassium (K) leaching at potato growing sites with different soil textures (sandy loam and clay loam) in northwestern India. Potassium was applied in the top 15 cm layer of soil column at 30 and 60 mg K kg-1 through different sources having different accompanying anions (Cl-, SO2-4 , NO-3 and H2PO2-4 ). Maximum K was retained in the top 0-15 cm layer with a sharp decrease in K content occurring in 15-30 cm layer of the soil column. The trend was similar for both levels of applied K as well as frequency of leaching and soil type. The decrease of K content in soil column after four leaching events was maximum in case of Khanaura sandy loam, while only minor decrease was observed in Hundowal clay loam when K was applied at 60 mg K kg-1 , indicating higher potential of clay rich soil to adsorb K. In general, the K leaching in presence of the accompanying anions followed the order of SO2-4 ≤ H2PO2-4 < NO-3=Cl-. Highest 1 mol L-1 CH 3 COONH 4-extractable K was retained when K was applied along with SO2-4 and H2PO2-4 anions, and the least was retained when accompanying anion was Cl-. The influence of anions was more pronounced in the light textured soil and at high amounts of K application. Higher levels of K application resulted in higher losses of K, especially in sandy loam soil as observed from the leachate concentration. Among the different K sources, the maximum amount of K leaching was noticed in the soil column amended with KCl. After four leachings, the maximum amount of K leached out was 6.40 mg L-1 in Hundowal clay loam and 9.29 mg L-1 in Khanaura sandy loam at 60 mg K kg-1 of soil application through KCl. These concentrations were lower than the recommended guideline of the World Health Organisation (12.00 mg L-1 ).