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Title:
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Alfalfa yield components and soil potassium depletion as affected by potassium fertilization.
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Author:
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Lloveras Vilamanyà, Jaume; Chocarro, Cristina; Torres, Lluis; Viladrich, D.; Costafreda, R.; Santiveri Morata, Paquita
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Notes:
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Potassium fertilization recommendations for alfalfa (Medicago sativaL.) vary depending on the area of production, soil levels, and crop management. The objectives of this study were to determine the impact of K fertilization on irrigated alfalfa yield, yield components, and soil exchangeable K (Ke) values in a Mediterranean climate. A field experiment was conducted during
a period of 4 yr (2002–2006) in Spain, on a soil with moderate levels of Ke(161 mg K kg
–1). The treatments applied were five
annual rates of K (0, 100, 200, 300, and 400 kg K ha–1). Total 4-yr dry matter (DM) yields averaged 74.9 Mg ha–1 without differences between K fertilizer rates, although the unfertilized control produced the lowest DM yields. The 4-yr crop uptake of K reached 1738 kg ha–1
with the application of 400 kg K ha–1yr–1
, and 756 kg K ha–1for the 0 K fertilization. The removal was greater than the K applied. The results suggest that large amounts of K should not be applied to alfalfa because the crop uses
excess K without increasing yield. Soil Ke
concentrations decreased every year for all K rates except for the highest treatmentof 400 kg K ha–1yr–1. Lack of K fertilization did not affect stand density but the shoot weight was the yield component most closely related to K fertilization. |
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Subject(s):
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-Cereals
-Potassi
-Anàlisi dels sòls
-Composició dels sòls
-Farratge
-Cereals
-Potassium
-Soil analysis
-Soil composition
-Forage |
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Rights:
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(c) American Society of Agronomy, 2012
info:eu-repo/semantics/restrictedAccess |
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Document type:
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Article
publishedVersion |
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Published by:
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American Society of Agronomy
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