Potassium leaching from cut grassland and from urine patches

Autor: Kayser, M.; Müller, J.; Isselstein, J.
In:

Soil Use and Management

Auflage: 23
Seite: 384 - 392
Jahr: 2007

Einordung:
Institut: Professur Grünland- und Futterbauwissenschaften

Abstract:
In grassland farming, especially on coarse-textured soils, K can be a critical element. On these soils, the actual K management as well as fertilizer history to a large extent determine the leaching of K. The effects of four fertilizer regimes on the nutrient balances and leaching of K from grassland grown on a sandy soil were investigated. The swards differed in the source and level of N input and K fertilizer: no fertilizer N + 166 kg K ha1 year1 (Control), 320 kg inorganic N ha1 + 300 kg K ha1 year1 (MIN 320), 320 kg N + 425 kg K ha1 year1 in form of cattle slurry (SLR 320) and a grass–clover sward + 166 kg K ha1 year1 (WCL 0) without any inorganic N input. In a second experimental phase, cores from these swards were used in a mini-lysimeter study on the fate of K from urine patches. On cut grassland after 6 years K input minus removal in herbage resulted in average K surpluses per year of 47, 39, 56 and 159 kg K ha1 for the Control, MIN 320, WCL 0 and SLR 320, respectively. Related leaching losses per year averaged 7.5, 5, 15 and 25 kg K ha1. Losses of urinary-K through leaching were 2.2–4.5 and 5.7–8.4% of the K supplied in summer and autumn applications, respectively. Plant and soil were the major sinks for K from fertilizer or urine. High levels of exchangeable K in the soil and/or large and late fertilizer or urine applications stimulated leaching of K.

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