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 o...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.展开更多
基金Supported by the National Basic Research Program (973 program) of China (Nos. 2011CB100501 and 2007CB309108)the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 41071200)
文摘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.