Distribution of four major forms of potassium in soils of Galicia (N.W. Spain)

Abstract

The potassium (K) status of a group of Galician natural soils was evaluated, and the equilibria between the four main K forms were examined. The results indicated that the Galician soils studied contained a large mineral K fraction (97% of total K), and a smaller fraction of labile K forms, composed of non‐exchangeable (2%), exchangeable K and solution K (1%). For these soils, the exchangeable K was 38% of the non‐exchangeable K, which was consistent with the moderate development of these soils. The equilibrium between solution K and exchangeable K was displaced towards solution K.