Rates and Residual Effects of Potassium Fertilization in a Brazilian Soil

Research studying the impacts of cutting back on K fertilizer application in Brazilian soils is essential to demonstrate its medium to long-term effects. This study also intends to verify the influence of other important factors that affect K fertilizer effectiveness in tropical soils. This experiment was installed in October 2010 in Itiquira, Mato Grosso, and intends to compare 24 treatments over a 6-year time frame. The results are expected to shed light on: 1) ideal K application rates; 2) residual effects of K application; 3) the influence of liming on K effectiveness; 4) the influence of phosphogypsum application on K effectiveness; 5) ideal P rates and their residual effects; 6) timing of K application; and 7) the influence of K placement techniques.

The first set of results regarding soil K status, plant K status, weight of 100 seeds, and grain yield should be available in mid-2011. Brazil-56