Sodium and Potassium Absorption and Distribution in Relation to Growth and Internal Potassium Use Efficiency of K-efficient and -inefficient rice genotypes

A pot experiment with two rice (Oriza sativa L.) genotypes differing in internal potassium use efficiency (IKUE) was conducted under different sodium (Na) and potassium (K) levels. Adding NaCl at a proper level enhanced rice vegetative growth and increased grain yield and IKUE under low potassium. Addition of higher rate of NaCl had a negative effect on the growth of the K-efficient rice genotype, but did not for the K-inefficient genotype. Under low-K stress, higher NaCl decreased IKUE of the K-efficient rice genotype but increased IKUE for the K-inefficient genotype. At tillering stage and under low-K stress, adding NaCl increased K and Na contents and decreased the ratio of K/Na for both genotypes. At harvesting stage under low-K stress, adding NaCl increased K and Na contents and K/Na ratio for the K-efficient genotype but decreased the K/Na ratio for the K-inefficient genotype. The accumulated Na was mostly deposited in the roots and sheaths. At tillering stage, the K and Na contents and the K/Na ratios in different parts for both genotypes decreased in the following sequence: K+ in sheaths > K+ in blades > K+ in roots; Na+ in roots > Na+ in sheaths > Na+ in blades; and K/Na in sheaths 》 K/Na in roots. The K-efficient genotype had a lower K/Na ratio in roots and sheaths than the K-inefficient genotype under low-K stress. At harvesting stage, K and Na contents in grains were not affected, whereas K/Na ratio in the rice straws was increased for the K-efficient genotype but decreased for the K-inefficient genotype by Na addition. However, this was not the case under K sufficient condition.

Regional Evaluation of Winter Rapeseed Response to K Fertilization, K Use Efficiency, and Critical Level of Soil K in the Yangtze River Valley

The investigation was carried out to study the response of winter rapeseed to potassium （K） feritlization and the critical soil available K level for current winter rapeseed production in the Yangtze River Valley （YRV） of China. A total of 132 field experiments were conducted in fields of farmers in the major winter rapeseed growing areas in YRV in 2000/2001 and 2004/2005 to 2006/2007 during growing season. Results of these field experiments showed that the average rapeseed yield increment resulting from 100 kg K ha-1 application was 358 kg ha-1, an increase over the control CK （no K） of 18.0% in 2005/2006 and 2006/2007. The average internal use efficiency （IE） of K was higher in the CK treatment （21.9 kg grain, kg-1 K uptake） than in the ＋K （100 kg K ha-1） treatment （17.7 kg grain, kg-1 K uptake）. Winter rapeseed required 68.1 kg of K to produce 1 000 kg seed. The recovery efficiency of K fertilizer in rapeseed production averaged 39.3%. The K balance was negative, with an average net removal of 117.6 kg K ha-1 in the CK treatment annually, and 56.8 kg K ha-1 in the ＋K treatment. The results indicated that there was a significant negative relationship between yield increments by K application and soil available K content. Based on the relative yield of CK/＋K at 90% level, the critical level of soil available K （NH4OAc-extractable K） was 135 mg kg-1.

Rice with high K utilization efficiency

China is short of potassium resources, it only produces about 30 t of potash fertilizers per year. While China used about 650 t of potash fertilizer in 2000 by importing more than 95% of its potash fertilizers from Canada or Europe. So, using varieties with high K utilization efficiency was very important.

Effects of Potassium Fertilizing Rates on Yield, Fiber Quality and Potassium Use Efficiency of Three Hybrid Cotton Cultivars

The effects of potassium （K） application rates on the yield, fiber quality and K fertilizer use efficiency of three hybrid cotton varieties （Jin102, Xiangzamian8, Siyang328） were studied in field experiment. Fertilizer rates of K2O 135 and 270 kg/hm2, representing 1x and 2x recommended K rates, were applied, no application of k fertilizer as the CK. The results show that the lint yield increased 39.13%-57.48%with potassium application, highly significantly. Al yield components of the three hy-brid cotton varieties increased with the increase of K application amounts. The bol number per plant, single bol weight and lint percentage were increased by 14.24%-40.29%, 3.59%-15.51% and 0.16%-4.89%, respectively, and the fiber length and specific strength also increased with the increasing K application amounts, showing no significant influence on Micronaire. When the K application amounts increased from 135 to 270 kg/hm2, the partial factor productivity （PFPk） reduced by 45.93%-48.01%, and the agronomic efficiency （AEk） reduced by 37.1%-42.9%. The PFPk and KE （K efficiency coefficients） of S328 were the highest among the three varieties, which also showed the strongest resistance to low potassium stress, and with no potassi-um fertilizer application （K0）, the lint yield of S328 was 5.54% and 11.19% higher than that of X8 and J102. The AEk of J102 was the highest, and its reward of K fertilizer was the greatest among the three varieties.

Differential response of root morphology to potassium deficient stress among rice genotypes varying in potassium efficiency

Disparity in the root morphology of six rice(Oryza sativa L.) genotypes varying in potassium(K) efficiency was studied with three K levels:5 mg/L(low),10 mg/L(moderate) and 40 mg/L(adequate) in hydroponic culture. Morphological parameters included root length,surface area,volume and count of lateral roots,as well as fine(diameter<0.2 mm) and thick(diameter>0.2 mm) roots. The results indicate that the root growth of all genotypes was reduced under low K,but moderate K deficiency increased the root length of the efficient genotypes. At deficient and moderate K levels,all the efficient rice genotypes developed more fine roots(diameter<0.2 mm) than the inefficient ones. Both fine root count and root surface area were found to be the best parameters to portray K stress in rice. In accordance with the root morphology,higher K concentrations were noted in shoots of the efficient genotypes when grown at moderate and deficient K levels,indicating that root morphology parameters are involved in root uptake for K and in the translocation of K up to shoots. K deficiency affected not only the root morphology,but also the root ultra-structure. The roots of high-efficient genotypes had stronger tolerance to K deficient stress for root membrane damage,and could maintain the developed root architecture to adapt to the low K growth medium.

Potassium nutrition of maize:Uptake,transport,utilization,and role in stress tolerance

Potassium(K) is an essential macronutrient for plant growth and development and influences yield and quality of agricultural crops.Maize(Zea mays) is one of the most widely distributed crops worldwide.In China,although maize consumes a large amount of K fertilizer,the K uptake/utilization efficiency(KUE)of maize cultivars is relatively low.Elucidation of KUE mechanisms and development of maize cultivars with higher KUE are needed.Maize KUE is determined by K+uptake,transport,and remobilization,which depend on a variety of K+channels and transporters.We review basic information about K+channels and transporters in maize,their functions and regulation,and the roles of K+in nitrogen transport,sugar transport,and salt tolerance.We discuss challenges and prospects for maize KUE improvement.

Sunflower response to potassium fertilization and nutrient requirement estimation

Field experiments were conducted in oil and edible sunflower to study the effects of potassium(K) fertilization on achene yield and quality, and to estimate the nutrient internal efficiency(IE) and nutrient requirement in sunflower production. All trials in edible sunflower and 75% trials in oil sunflower showed positive yield responses to K fertilization. Compared with control without K fertilization, the application of K increased achene yield by an average of 406 kg ha–1for oil sunflower and 294 kg ha–1for edible sunflower. K application also increased 1 000-achene weight and kernel rate of both oil and edible sunflower. K fertilization improved the contents of oil, oleic acid, linoleic acid and linolenic acid in achenes of oil sunflower, and increased contents of oil, total unsaturated fatty acid and protein in achenes of edible sunflower. The average agronomic efficiency of K fertilizer was 4.0 for oil sunflower and 3.0 kg achene kg–1K2O for edible sunflower. The average IE of N, P and K under balanced NPK fertilization was 22.9, 82.8, and 9.9 kg kg–1for oil sunflower, and 27.3, 138.9, and 14.3 kg kg–1for edible sunflower. These values were equivalent to 45.5, 14.1, and 108.1 kg, and 39.0, 8.0, and 71.7 kg of N, P and K, respectively, in above-ground dry matter required for production per ton of achenes. The average harvest index of N, P and K was 0.47, 0.56 and 0.05 kg kg–1in oil sunflower, and 0.58, 0.58 and 0.14 kg kg–1in edible sunflower.

Effect of Long-Term Potassium Fertilization on Crop Yield and Potassium Efficiency and Balance Under Wheat-Maize Rotation in China

Sustainable potassium （K） management at different soil sites requires understanding the relationships between crop productivity and long-term K fertilizations on a regional or national scale. We analyzed responses of grain yield of wheat （Triticum aestivurn L.） and maize （Zea mays L.）, K efficiency, and partial balance （difference between K input through fertilizer and K output in the aboveground biomass） during 15- （1990-2005） or 18-year （1990-2008） K fertilizations at five distinctive agroecologicai zones across China. Compared to the inorganic nitrogen （N） and phosphorus （P） fertilization, the inorganic NPK fertilization significantly increased grain yields of wheat （21%） and maize （16% 72%） at Qiyang and Changping, where soils have low exchangeable and non-exchangeable K contents, but not at Uriimqi, Yangling and Zhengzhou, where soils have a high exchangeable and non-exchangeable K and/or low N/K ratio in crop plants. Compared to the inorganic NPK fertilization, the inorganic NPK （30% N） and organic manure （70~~ N） fertilization （NPKM） increased grain yields of wheat （14%-40%） and maize （9%-6170） at four sites, but not at Zhengzhou. For a productivity of wheat at 2-5 t ha-1 or maize at 3-6 t ha 1, 13-26 or 9-17 kg K ha 1 were required to produce 1.0 t wheat or maize. The NP fertilization resulted in the lowest negative partial K balance and accumulated 52 kg K ha-1 year-1 less than the NPK fertilization, which accumulated 28 kg ha 1 year-1 less K than the NPKM fertilization. A re-evaluation of the site-specific fertilization effects on N/K ratio in crop plants and soil K accumulation under current NPK and NPKM t＇ertilization is urgently needed to increase both crop yield and K use efficiency at different agroecologicai zones across China.