Comparing the potassium requirements of five pasture species
R. F. Brennan A C D and M. D. A. Bolland BA Department of Agriculture, 444 Albany Highway, Albany, WA 6330, Australia.
B Department of Agriculture, PO Box 1231, Bunbury, WA 6231, Australia.
C School of Plant Biology, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia.
D Corresponding author. Email: rbrennan@agric.wa.gov.au
Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 46(5) 659-667 https://doi.org/10.1071/EA04103
Submitted: 21 May 2004 Accepted: 14 January 2005 Published: 12 May 2006
Abstract
Potassium (K) deficiency is now common in sandy soils of south-western Australia and the K requirements of most pasture species grown in rotation with crops in the region are not known. In a glasshouse experiment using a K deficient yellow sand, we compared the K requirements of 5 pasture species now commonly grown in the region: French serradella (Ornithopus sativus Brot.) cv. Cadiz, yellow serradella (Ornithopus compressus Brot.) cv. Santorini, balansa clover [Trifolium balansae, classified as T. michelianum Savi var. balansae (Boiss)] cv. Paradana, 2 subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum L.) cultivars, cv. Seaton Park (subspecies subterraneum) and cv. Trikkala (subspecies yanninicum), and annual ryegrass (Lolium rigidum Gaud) cv. Wimmera. After 56 days of growth, above-ground growth was harvested and analysed for total K. Mitscherlich curves were fitted to yield of dried shoots, K concentration and K content (K concentration multiplied by yield) of the shoots. These fitted curves were used to determine the amount of K required to produce 75% of the maximum yield of dried shoots, K required to attain a K concentration in dried shoots of 25 g/kg, and K required to achieve a K content in dried shoots of 250 mg K/pot.
Annual ryegrass and yellow serradella more effectively used indigenous soil K and applied K to produce dried shoots than the other species and cultivars, with the other species and cultivars requiring about 55% more applied K to produce 75% of the maximum shoot yield. The K content in dried shoots estimated the total K taken up from the soil, and annual ryegrass took up least K from soil, but it required least applied K to produce 75% of the maximum shoot yield, indicating it used the K it took up very effectively to produce shoots. Yellow serradella took up most K and, after annual ryegrass, it needed least applied K to produce the target yield of dried shoots. After yellow serradella, subterranean clover cv. Trikkala took up most K from soil, but it required nearly the most applied K to produce the target shoot yield so it was inefficient at using K taken up to produce the shoots. For all the other species and cultivars, K requirement was similar as assessed by yield or K content data. The critical concentration of K required for 90% maximum yield of dried shoots was about (g K/kg) 24 for balansa clover, 23 for both subterranean clover cultivars, 21 for yellow and French serradella, and 15 for annual ryegrass.
Additional keywords: Lolium rigidum, Ornithopus compressus, O. sativus, Trifolium balansae, T. subterraneum.
Acknowledgments
Bradley Nutt kindly supplied seed of the species and cultivars we used in this study. The Chemistry Centre (WA) measured soil properties and concentration of potassium in plant tissue. Frank O’Donnell provided technical assistance in the glasshouse and for sample preparation. Funds were provided by the Western Australian Department of Agriculture.
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