Fixation of potassium in some soils of the subhumid zone of Nigeria

Tening, A.S.; Omueti, J.A.I.; Tarawali, G.

Fixation of potassium in some soils of the subhumid zone of Nigeria

Autores

Tening, A.S.

Omueti, J.A.I.

Tarawali, G.

Editor

Informa UK Limited

Descripción

Studies of potassium (K) fixation in the soil were conducted by evaluating the effect of applied K on the extractability of K with time. A series of five K-sorption treatment solutions, 0.11, 0.22, 0.45, 0.90, and 1.80 cmol/kg were prepared and applied as potassium chloride (KC1) to three sets of soils. The first set of soil samples was extracted with one normal ammonium acetate (1N NH4OAc) extractant for K after one day of incubation. The second and third sets were extracted with the same extractant after seven and 42 days of incubation, respectively. The amount of K fixed was determined. Correlation between applied K and K fixed was carried out. The mean proportion of K fixed ranged from 0 in soils from Kurmin Biri to 55 percent in soils from Funafuna upon addition of 0.11 cmol k/kg. While fixation increased with increase in the concentration of added K, there was no linear relationship between the proportion of K fixed and the amount added at higher incubation periods. Potassium recovered also increased with added K in all the incubation periods with the 42-day period having the highest amount of K recovered. Potassium added was highly correlated (P<0.01) with K fixed during all the incubation periods.