Long-term influence of different production systems on potassium buffering capacity of Typic Ustochrept soil

Abstract

Imbalanced application of nutrients in the intensively cropped areas results in deterioration of soil fertility. Application of recommended dose of potassium (K) is essential for improving the use efficiency of other nutrients. To assess the buffering capacity of soil, three composite soil samples were collected from the surface soil (0–30 cm) during 2015 from 3 production systems viz., organic, inorganic and integrated which was maintained from 2004 with basmati rice–wheat–Sesbania system under Network Project on Organic Farming at ICAR-Indian Institute of Farming Systems Research, Modipuram. Fractionation of potassium (K) was achieved by sequential extraction of soil samples with distilled water, ammonium acetate and nitric acid in the same order. The relationship between the adsorbed and equilibrium potassium concentration, quantity was determined by plotting Freundlich adsorption isotherms. This was used to determine the buffering capacity and the concentration levels of potassium adsorbed on un-specific sites in the soil. The suitability of the adsorption equation was determined by applying the least square regression analysis. The results revealed that available potassium in the soils ranged from 119.51 to 135.01 mg/kg with 126.02 ± 5.24 mg/kg as mean (ammonium acetate method) while water soluble and nitric acid extracted potassium ranged from 28.51 to 29.05 mg/kg and 2594.49 ± 19.33 mg/kg (mean) in various production systems. The mean free energy of replacement was found to be −1998.01 ± 28.38 cal/mol indicating that soils have comparatively higher potassium supply under organic system. The potassium buffering capacity of the soils was found to be 0.7462 ± 0.16 mg/kg, 0.6295 ± 0.20 mg/kg and 0.6774 ± 0.09 mg/kg in organic, integrated and inorganic systems, respectively. The amount of potassium adsorbed on un-specific sites of the organic, integrated and inorganic systems was found to be 7.4730 ± 1.81, 15.11 ± 2.40 and 11.6 89 ± 3.58 mg/kg, respectively. It can be concluded that long-term organic production system improves K+ buffering capacity of Typic Ustochrept soil as compare to the integrated as well as inorganic production systems.