Response of soil exchangeable and crop potassium concentrations to variable fertilizer and cropping regimes in long-term field experiments on different soil types

Annual potassium (K) balances have been calculated over a 40-year period for five field experiments located on varying parent materials (from loamy sand to clay) in south and central Sweden. Each experiment consisted of a number of K fertilizer regimes and was divided into two crop rotations, mixed arable/livestock (I) and arable only (II). Annual calculations were based on data for K inputs through manure and fertilizer, and outputs in crop removal. Plots receiving no K fertilizer showed negative K balances which ranged from 30 to 65 kg ha(-1) year(-1) in rotation I, compared with 10-26 kg ha(-1) year(-1) for rotation II. On sandy loam and clay soils, the K yield of nil K plots (rotation I) increased significantly with time during the experimental period indicating increasing release of K from soil minerals, uptake from deeper soil horizons and/or depletion of exchangeable soil K (K-ex). Significant depletion of K-ex in the topsoil was only found in the loamy sand indicating a K supply from internal sources in the sandy loam and clay soils. On silty clay and clay soils, a grass/clover ley K concentration of similar to 2% (dry weight) was maintained during the 40-year study period on the nil K plots, but on the sandy loam, loam and loamy sand, herbage concentrations were generally less than 2% K.