Phosphorus, Potassium Improve Nitrogen-Use
NORCROSS, Ga.-Balanced fertil
ization with phosphorus and potas
sium, to replace harvested nutrients
and to build and sustain soil tests at
optimum levels, is a proven best
management practice.
Productivity is at risk in many
farm fields across the U.S. and
Canada. Recent soil testing sum
maries for North America indicate
that in more than 60 percent of the
states and provinces, 40 percent or
more of the analyzed soil samples
test medium or lower in phosphorus.
About 50 percent of the states
and provinces report that 40 percent
or more of the analyzed soil samples
test medium or lower in soil test
potassium. In several states and
provinces, the percentage of samples
testing medium or lower in both
nutrients ranged as high as 70 to 80
percent. These soil test results indi
cate that phosphorus and potassium
needs are not being met on many
farms.
Phosphorus plays a critical role in
photosynthesis, genetic coding, and
energy transfer in all plants. Phos
phorus, like potassium, is essential
for nitrogen fixation in legumes. Top
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and root growth of virtually all crops
is increased with balanced phospho
rus and potassium nutrition. Corn
research in Illinois and wheat
research in Colorado, for example,
have shown that response to nitro
gen is reduced when phosphorus is
deficient. Similar results have been
reported for bromegrass in Kansas
research. With adequate phospho
rus, response to nitrogen is
improved through increased nitro
gen and phosphorus uptake, has
tened maturity, increased nitrogen
use efficiency, and increased yields.
These effects work together for
increased profit potential, improved
root growth with adequate phospho
rus can also enhance the capture of
soil and fertilizer nitrogen and can
reduce the amount of residual
nitrate-nitrogen, which may be
prone to leaching or runoff losses.
Adequate phosphorus increases crop
yields and profit potential while
minimizing the potential for envi
ronmental nitrogen loss.
Potassium plays a critical role in
enzyme activation, water use, photo
synthesis, transport of sugars, pro
tein synthesis, and starch synthesis
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BUILT FOR THE BOTTOM LINE
Foraging Around, Lancaster Farming, Saturday, February 12, 2000—Page 21
in plants. Potassium is especially
important in its interaction with
nitrogen throughout the growth
cycle. If affects both nitrate absorp
tion and reduction to amino acids
and protein formation in plants.
Adequate potassium in the field
results in higher crop yields and
higher nitrogen-use efficiency. Crops
respond to higher potassium levels
when nitrogen is sufficient, and
greater yield response to nitrogen
occurs when potassium is sufficient.
A balance between nitrogen and
potassium results in greater uptake
and less residual soil nitrogen that
could potentially impact the envi
ronment. Ohio researchers reported
that total plant nitrogen uptake was
increased 75 percent by optimum
potassium fertilization when using
160 pounds of nitrogen per acre. At
240 pounds of nitrogen per acre,
optimum potassium fertilization
raised nitrogen uptake by 48 per
cent over no potassium fertilization.
Optimum potassium fertilization
increased the nitrogen concentra
tion in the grain as well as the total
amount of the applied nitrogen
removed in the grain. Optimum
potassium fertilization enhanced
Efficiency
nitrogen-use by the crop and
reduced the residual soil nitrate,
resulting in lower nitrate leaching
loss.
With current crop prices and stiff
global competition, crop advisers
and good farm managers must con
tinue to emphasize high yields to
maximize the potential for profit.
Balanced fertilization with phospho
rus and potassium, according to soil
tests, is necessary for sustained,
profitable crop production. Fertili
zation with phosphorus and potassi
um replaces harvested plant nutri
ents, sustains yields, enhances
water-use efficiency, and protects
the environment by increasing
nitrogen-use efficiency. Nutrient
management plans for 1999 should
emphasize adequate phosphorus
and potassium for attaining and
sustaining profitable crop yields,
and to enhance nitrogen-use effi
ciency for protection of the environ
ment.
For more information, contact Dr.
Cliff S. Snyder, Midsouth Director,
PPI, P.O. Drawer 2440, Conway, AR
72033-2440, (501) 336-8110, e-mail:
csnyder@ppi-far.org.
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