S O U T H

D A K O TA

Investigating Potassium Deciencies in Corn

By James Gerwing, Ron Gelderman, and Anthony Bly

otassium deciencies have been occur- difcult for K to move through the soil to ring more frequently in South Dakota in replenish the K taken up near the root. the past few years. The occurrence of Excessively wet or dry soil conditions adversedeciency symptoms can vary widely. For ly affect plant growth and uptake of K, as do instance, soils formed from glacial till may test inadequate supplies of other essential nutrilower in K and exhibit deciencies on ents such as nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P). only side slopes or eroded Certain tillage systems, such areas. (See photo at left as no-till, may also make K The far western Corn Belt below.) Non-eroded areas are positionally unavailable durhas traditionally used little usually adequate in available ing part of the growing season potassium (K) fertilizer beK. On coarse-textured soils, under drier conditions. cause the dominant soils of such as those formed in In South Dakota, many the region are derived from glacial outwash, large areas producers have not been parent materials high in plant or whole elds may be affectoverly concerned about their available K. However, longed (photo at right below). K soil fertility. The drier term cropping has depleted Several conditions can climate has historically kept indigenous K reserves in cause K deciency. ComK in good supply. However, some areas to the point pacted soil conditions restrict decades of cropping without where K deciencies are root growth and hinder a replacement of the K plants ability to take up removed by harvested plant becoming more common. nutrients and water. Soils that portions have depleted soil are too loose make it more supplies to yield-limiting

Small-scale variability in K deciency symptoms, representative of that seen in eroded areas. The large plant (center) was pulled from 15 rows back for relative size comparison.

Larger areas showing K deciency on soils formed from glacial outwash.

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Better Crops/Vol. 85 (2001, No. 2)

V. low (0-40) Low (40-80)

Medium (80-120)

High (120-160) V. high (>160)

110

80

Relative yield, % (check/maximum yield)

100

90

Frequency, %

60 40 20 0
NE SE NC SC W River State

70
significant

50 50 150

n=28

non-significant

250

350

450

550

Soil test K, ppm

Figure 1. Potassium soil test summary for samples submitted to the South Dakota State University Soil Testing Laboratory, 1998-1999.

Figure 2. Corn grain yield response to added K as inuenced by soil test K, South Dakota, 1996-2000.

levels in some areas. A recent sur- TABLE 1. Inuence of broadcast potash (as potassium vey of samples analyzed by the chloride, KCl) on corn grain yield in ve site-years. South Dakota State University Site-year yields, bu/A (SDSU) Soil Testing Laboratory K2O rate, 1999 2000 2000 2000 2000 (Figure 1) reveals that 85 percent lb/A A A B C D still test very high in K. However, 0 99 134 127 100 81 primarily in the eastern part of the 60 112 148 122 119 86 state, approximately 10 percent of 120 124 149 137 117 83 the samples tested may be at levels 240 122 156 134 115 80 that are yield limiting. In east cenProb > F1 0.01 0.05 0.30 0.05 0.68 tral and northeast South Dakota, Soil test K, there are many cases where whole ppm2 106 (M) 127 (H) 152 (H) 114 (M) 141 (H) eld samples test high or very high 1Values of 0.05 or less are commonly considered to indicate a for soil test K but have areas that signicant treatment effect. 2Soil test categories: M = medium, H = high. test low or medium. These areas can have severe K deciency for corn and sometimes soybeans. yield. Of the ve site-years studied in 1999Current educational efforts at SDSU 2000, the three testing below 140 parts per include meetings and eld days to educate million (ppm) all showed signicant yield farmers, county Extension personnel, and increases from applied K. For these sites, agribusiness professionals on the causes, average responses ranged from 10 to 25 bu/A. effects, and detection of K deciency. Many in Considering all responsive and non-responthe state have never encountered it before. sive sites studied so far, a preliminary assessOur current research is focused on dening ment is that the critical range in soil test levcritical soil test K levels through correlation els may be 140 to 150 ppm. The inclusion of with yields and calibrating the rates needed to future results could alter this range (Figure correct deciencies for various nutrient place- 2). ment methods. An example of the data being collected Dr. Gerwing, Dr. Gelderman, and Dr. Bly are with for soil test correlation is shown in Table 1. South Dakota State University; e-mail: This particular study investigates the effects of Ronald_Gelderman@sdstate.edu. incremental broadcast K rates on corn grain

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