Potassium Critical Level in Soil for Tef (Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter) Grown in the Central Highland Soils of Ethiopia
| Author | Mulugeta Demiss Belew | |
| Author | Mamo Tekalign | |
| Author | Beyene Sheleme | |
| Author | Kidanu Selamyihun | |
| Jurisdiction: | Ethiopia | |
| Date of acession | 2024-01-22T10:40:44Z | |
| Date of availability | 2024-01-22T10:40:44Z | |
| Date of issue | 2019 | |
| Abstract | Responses to potassium (K) fertilizer are reported in diferent parts of Ethiopia in recent years, contrary to the general perception that K fertilizer was not necessary on the soils. However, use of adequate K level for maximum economic yield is possible only when soil test data are calibrated against response curve for a given crop and soil type. This pot trial was conducted to calibrate K soil test with the response of tef (Eragrostis tef (Zucc.)) at application of increasing levels of K. Random soil samples (0–20 cm) were collected from 60 locations having Mehlich-3 (M-3) K soil test values ranging from 16 to 910 mg kg−1 across 20 tef growing districts in the highlands of Ethiopia. The relative biomass yield of tef was signifcantly correlated with Mehlich-3 extractable K, suggesting that the extraction method fairly estimated the available soil K. Soil test M-3 extractable K values were categorized, based on relative biomass yield, as “very low” (<55 mg kg−1), “low” (55–210 mg kg−1), “medium” (210–280 mg kg−1), “high” (280–500 mg kg−1) and “very high” (>500 mg kg−1). And K application rates of 139 and 54 kg ha−1 for the very low and low K categories respectively would sufce for optimum tef yield. The critical limit of K in soil (M-3) using the graphical method was 210 mg kg−1 for the 85% relative biomass yield level. An inverse relation of yield response to the soil K status was observed suggesting that application of K fertilizer increases yield of tef in low status soils. However, feld verifcation is required to draw sound conclusions. | |
| Citation | Mulugeta, D., Tekalign, M., Sheleme, B. et al. Potassium critical level in soil for Teff (Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter) grown in the central highland soils of Ethiopia. SN Appl. Sci. 1, 958 (2019) | |
| URL | https://hub.ifdc.org/handle/20.500.14297/2829 | |
| Language | en | |
| Subject | Yields | |
| Subject | Calibration | |
| Subject | Soil testing | |
| Title | Potassium Critical Level in Soil for Tef (Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter) Grown in the Central Highland Soils of Ethiopia | |
| Type | Article |