Nonexchangeable potassium extraction and associated structural changes of mica dominant clay minerals

Abstract

Six mica dominant soils representing a landform sequence were used for the present investigation. The effect of extraction of nonexchangeable potassium (K) by boiling 1 M HNO₃ treatment and its associated structural changes of micaceous clay minerals was studied by employing x‐ray diffraction technique. Potassium release was rapid in the first three extractions and slowed down to a constant rate thereafter in all the clay samples. The first extraction contributed about 45.57–62.69% towards the total K release. The calculated values of rate constant (first order) decreased sharply from 0.065–0.025 min^‐1 after third extraction and reached a constant value thereafter. The calculated integral width of first order reflection of mica peak (10Å) decreased considerably with nitric acid treatment, but no such effect was observed in 5Å peak. The differential x‐ray diffraction (DXRD) traces showed that the HNO₃ treatment dissolved finer particles of mica particularly trioctahedral component and mixed layer minerals, smectite, chlorite and vermiculite.     

Potassium release on drying of soil samples from a variety of weathering regimes and c clay mineralogy in China

Thirty two soil samples from China were analyzed for exchangeable K before and after drying. Most soil samples were higher in exchangeable K after air-drying and ovendrying (60°C) than when wet. Soil clay minerals, especially clay-size mica, affected K released in air-dry and oven-dry samples. According to composition of clay minerals of air-dried samples, five classes were recognized. Soil samples with high mica and montmorillonite have the highest exchangeable K. Samples that contained higher kaolinite than mica had lower exchangeable K. Samples with higher kaolinite than quartz and mica had still lower exchangeable K. Samples of sandy soils contained very low exchangeable K. When quartz was the main mineral, the samples that had kaolinite and gibbsite as the main clay minerals had very low exchangeable K. The degree of weathering (weathering mean) bore an inverse relationship to the amount of K released on drying in air or at 60°C. Udults and Udalfs (Red Earths) of southeastern China, because of their high K release on being dried, are inferred to have received fine mica from the Western Desert dust rainout, reported to Liu et al. (1981).     

Potassium fixation of some calcareous soils after short term extraction with different solutions

This investigation was done to determine the release of potassium (K) from five calcareous soils of southern Iran using 0.025 M CaCl₂, HCl and citric acid during six successive extractions and to study the K fixation capacity of the soils after K release experiment. Mineralogical study indicated that Vertisols and Mollisols were dominated with smectites; while other soils had illite, chlorite, palygorskite and smectite. Results indicated that citric acid extracted more K than CaCl₂ and HCl (137 vs. 111 and 113 mg kg^?1, respectively). The analysis of calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg) and K concentrations in the solutions suggests that the exchange of K with soluble Ca and Mg (originated from dissolution of carbonates by acidic solutions) is the main mechanism of K release, but citrate is able to dissolve K-bearing minerals and release K in slightly calcareous soils. Soils with more illite released more K. Potassium fixation capacity of soils increased after extractions of soils with different extractants from 324 to 471 mg kg^?1, with no significant difference. It is suggested to apply more K fertilizers in K-depleted calcareous soils and use of different solutions for extracting K from soil minerals may be a temporary and short term solution.     

Potassium Fixation and Release Characteristics of Some Benchmark Soil Series under Rice–Wheat Cropping System in the Indo‐Gangetic Plains of Northwestern India

Abstract

Potassium (K) fixation and release in soil are important issues in long‐term sustainability of a cropping system. Fixation and release behavior of potassium were studied in the surface and subsurface horizons in five benchmark soil series, viz. Dhar, Gurdaspur, Naura, Ladowal, and Nabha, under rice–wheat cropping system in the Indo‐Gangetic plains of India. Potassium fixation was noted by adding six rates of K varying from 0 to 500 mg kg^?1 soil in plastic beakers while K release characteristics were studied by repeated extractions with 1 M HNO₃ and 1 M NH₄OAc extractants. The initial status of K was satisfactory to adequate. Potassium fixation of added K increased with the rate of added K irrespective of soil mineralogy and soil depth. Soils rich in K (Ladowal and Nabha) fixed lower amounts (18–42%) of added K as compared to Gurdaspur, Dhar, and Naura (44.6–86.4%) soils low in K. The unit fertilizer requirement for unit increase in available K was more in low‐K soils. The study highlights the need for more studies on K fixation in relation to the associated minerals in a particular soil. Potassium‐release parameters such as total extractable K, total step K, and CR‐K varied widely in different soil series, indicating wide variation in the K‐supplying capacity of these soils. K released with 1 M NH₄OAc extractant was 20–33% of that obtained with 1 M HNO₃. Total extractable K using 1 M HNO₃ varied from 213 to 528 mg kg^?1 and NH₄OAc‐extractable K ranged from 71 to 312 mg kg^?1 soil in surface and subsurface layers of different soil series. The Ladowal and Nabha series showed higher rates of K release than Gurdaspur, Dhar, and Naura series, indicating their greater K‐supplying capacity.     

Potassium and magnesium in some Kenyan soils: their mineral sources and release to Ca-resin

Five soil types from Kenya were examined for their ability to release K and Mg to crops by extracting them with a calcium-saturated cation exchange resin, and for the mineral sources of K and Mg. Amounts and rates of release of exchangeable, short- and long-term reserves of K and Mg were determined. This was done for K before and after one, two and 10 wetting and drying (WD) cycles, designed to mimic the effect of the local climate on K release. The order of decreasing K and Mg contents of the soils was Muguga > > Katumani > Kampi-ya-Mawe (KYM) ∼ Ithookwe ∼ Kwale. In the case of K, wetting and drying increased the exchangeable fraction in all of the soils. The Muguga, Ithookwe and KYM soils have the capacity to release a great deal of K in the long-term, but at very different rates; the Kwale soil has few reserves and fixes K on WD.
The K and Mg contents of the soils were closely related to the mica contents of the clay + silt fractions. Exchangeable and non-exchangeable K was released from soil micas primarily by ion exchange, with some contribution to non-exchangeable K from dissolution. Release of exchangeable Mg was primarily by ion exchange, whilst that of non-exchangeable matrix Mg was by dissolution of trioctahedral mica in the clay + silt and the sand fractions of the soils. Response would be expected only to K fertilizers and only with the Kwale soil. However, all the other soils should, in the interests of good husbandry, receive maintenance dressings of K and Mg at convenient times in the crop rotation.     

Non-exchangeable potassium release and its removal in foot-hill soils of North-west Himalayas

In the present investigation, soils representing ten locations and three agro-climatic zones of foot-hills of north-west Himalayas were studied to assess Non-exchangeable Potassium (NEK) reserves, its release and influence of K-fixing capacity and clay minerals on NEK release. Maximum release of non-exchangeable K was obtained in temperate zone soils (295 mg kg^− 1) followed by intermediate zone (227 mg kg^− 1) and sub-tropical zone soils (106 mg kg^− 1), having relative soil quality index (RSQI) values of 85, 80 and 65, respectively. The quantitative analysis of clay minerals, through XRD technique, revealed that the temperate soils have more illite (averaging 62%) which holds well as a reason for high NEK reserves of 1556 mg kg^− 1 in these soils in comparison to intermediate (having illite averaging 53%) and sub-tropical (having illite averaging to 49%) soils having NEK amounting to 1022 and 918 mg kg^− 1, respectively. In order to study the NEK removal from the soils under investigation, maize was grown as a test crop and potassium was applied through four treatments having four levels of K (0, 15, 30 and 60 mg kg^− 1) applied as KCl. The crop demonstrated significant response in terms of dry matter yield up to 30 mg kg^− 1 in sub-tropical and intermediate soils while no such response was obtained in temperate soils. The percent NEK removed by maize crop from NEK reserves was 14, 25 and 20% in sub-tropical, intermediate and temperate soils, respectively. The information about NEK release, its removal as well as its relationship with K fixing capacity, clay minerals and RSQI can be used for understanding the K buffering potential of soils especially under adverse soil and climatic conditions that prevail in southwest India. Besides, the regression equations developed can be used for predicting NEK release on the basis of K fixing capacity and clay mineralogical composition.     

我国北方一些土壤对外源钾的固定

本文研究了我国北方农区主要土壤的固钾能力。结果表明,在施K量0-4000mg/kg范围内,土壤固钾量与施钾量的关系符合方程y=ax3/2/(x3/2+b)。不同土壤固钾量相差很大,其固钾量与土壤矿物学性质和理化性质(粘粒含量、CEC、非交换性钾和速效钾含量)有关,与原始土壤非交换性钾含量呈显著负相关(不同施钾水平下土壤固钾量与非交换性钾含量之间的相关系数均在-0.6769* *以上)。供试土壤固钾能力表现出一定的地带性分布规律。施K1200mg/kg以下时土壤固钾能力的一般趋势是取自西北的土壤取自东北的土壤取自华北的土壤;而施K1200mg/kg以上时土壤固钾能力,从西向东呈逐渐增加的趋势。取自西北地区的土壤,固钾量(施K量为400～4000mg/kg,下同)平均为133～348mg/kg,最大同钾量平均是372mg/kg;取自华北地区的土壤,其固钾量平均为235～1001mg/kg,最大固钾量平均是1121mg/kg;取自东北地区的土壤,其固钾量平均为199～1254mg/kg,最大固钾量平均是1519mg/kg。     

Factors affecting potassium fixation in calcareous soils of southern Iran

Potassium fixation capacity and mineralogical analysis of 24 representative soils, collected from southern Iran, were studied. Potassium fixation analysis was performed by adding six rates of K from 0 to 1000 mg kg^?1 soil in a plastic beaker and shaking for 24 h. Mineralogical analysis showed that the clay fractions were dominated by smectite, chlorite, mica, palygorskite, vermiculite and quartz. In general, the studied soils fixed 8.5–55% of the added K. The potassium fixation capacity of the studied soils was significantly correlated with smectite content (r ² = 0.87), clay content (r ² = 0.60), cation-exchange capacity (r ² = 0.79) and NH₄OAc-K. Wetting and drying treatment and incubation time had significant effects on K fixation. The average percentage increase in K fixation following the wetting and drying treatment was 24 and 30% for surface and subsurface soils, respectively. The average percentage increase in K fixation with increasing residence time was 79 and 56% for surface and subsurface soils, respectively. Because K fixation is a diffusion process, time and increased concentration of soluble K (because of soil drying) are factors affecting the rate of K diffusion from a soil solution to the interlayer positions of the expansible 2:1 clay minerals.     

Potassium release and fixation in Ferralsols (Oxisols) from Southern Togo

Potassium release and fixation were studied on Ferralsols (typic Eutrustox) of Southern Togo both by isotopic exchange with ⁴²K+ ions and by exchange with 1 M ammonium acetate. Experiments were conducted on soil samples taken from surface (0–30 cm) and subsoil (80–100 cm) layers of four plots. These plats, with the same soil type, were subjected to various kinds of use: forest and crops, with or without fertilizers. A single wetting and drying of the soil samples increased the amounts of exchangeable K. This exchangeable K release could stem from clay protonation during drying. However, the K release is insufficient to allow permanent intensive agriculture without K fertilizer addition. Soil samples were therefore treated with KCI in order to study K fixation. About 20% of the applied K was fixed and the percentage increased with wetting and drying. The fixation can be explained by the presence of about 2% of interstratified clay minerals in these kaolinitic soils. Comparison of the kinetic characteristics of the isotopically exchangeable K with the amounts of ammonium exchangeable K revealed the existence of several kinds of exchange site for K ions.     

富钾植物籽粒苋(Amaranthus spp.)对土壤矿物钾的吸收利用研究

运用土培、石英砂培、有机酸释钾实验及矿物X衍射分析研究了不同基因型籽粒苋(Amaranthusspp.)对土壤矿物钾的吸收利用及其机制。结果表明,籽粒苋能有效地利用土壤和云母(黑云母和金云母)中的钾;籽粒苋品种R104、CX4对钾的吸收量高于一般型品种(CX77);籽粒苋根系能引起云母矿物向蛭石转化;籽粒苋根系分泌物中的草酸比一般有机酸具有更高的释放矿物中钾素的能力。     

The forms and availability to plants of soil potassium as related to mineralogy for upland Oxisols and Ultisols from Thailand

Potassium (K) deficiency is widespread in crops on highly weathered upland soils under a tropical monsoonal climate. Critical assessment of the forms of K in soils and of the ability of soils to release K for plant uptake is important for the proper management of K in crop production. The relationships between different pools of K were investigated as a function of silt and clay mineralogy for 14 upland Oxisols and 26 upland Ultisols soils from Thailand. Most soils contained no K-minerals in the silt fraction. XRD showed that kaolinite is the dominant clay mineral with variously minor or moderate amounts of illite, hydroxy-Al interlayered vermiculite and smectite present in some soils. For some soils, both conventional and synchrotron XRD were unable to detect illite. Analytical TEM including EFTEM of individual clay crystals showed that clay in the apparently illite-free samples contained very small amounts of illite. Many kaolinite particles appear to contain K which may be present in illite interleaved with kaolinite crystals. A glasshouse K-depletion experiment was conducted to assess the K supply capacity and changes in chemical forms of K and K-minerals using exhaustive K depletion by Guinea grass (Panicum maximum). Potassium deficiency symptoms and mortality of plants occurred on light textured soils, whereas plants survived for six harvests for Oxisols with clay texture, relatively high CEC and higher NH₄OAc-K (exchangeable K plus water-soluble K). There is a strong linear relationship of unit slope between NH₄OAc-K and cumulative K uptake by plants indicating that NH₄OAc-K is a major form of K available to plants. Thus K-bearing minerals contributed little K to plants over the time scale of the experiment and XRD patterns of whole soil samples, silt and clay from soils after cropping mostly showed no change from those for the initial soil. An exception was for a single surface soil clay where a minor amount of smectite was formed from illite by K release to plants.     

Prospects and challenges in utilization of indigenous rocks and minerals as source of potassium in farming

Potassium (K) is one of the essential nutrients required by crops in large quantities; however, its use in agriculture by farmers is less than required in developing countries. This neglect has led to excess mining of K in soils by crop plants and has resulted in a negative balance of K in soils. This loss necessitates the need of more use of potassium fertilizers in agriculture. Rocks and minerals offer a potential fertilizer to utilize in agriculture as source of K. The crop trials revealed that feldspar, mica, glauconite, nepheline and shoenite are good sources of K for crops, especially in highly weathered acid soils. However, some researchers have reported no agronomic benefit of feldspar or granite rock application to crops. Overall the size modification, acidulation, microbial inoculants and preparation of K-enriched compost are the effective techniques to utilize K-bearing rocks and minerals. Very limited information is available on these aspects. Thus, in this review, an attempt has been to consolidate up-to-date information of indigenous rocks and minerals as possibilities for alternate sources of K for crop plants. Moreover, this area of research needs attention to utilize indigenous K sources, which can aid to limit the import and cost, of the establishment of potash fertilizer-based industries in developing countries.     

Potassium Availability as Related to Clay Mineralogy and Rates of Potassium Application

Availability of applied potassium (K) as a fertilizer to plants is influenced by soil mineralogy, environmental factors, and rates of K application. The objective of this research was to study the effects of clay minerals and K application on K supply characteristics of calcareous soils in Iran. Surface and subsurface horizons of six sites with different ranges of clay content and exchangeable K were selected. The soils were treated with potassium chloride (KCl) solution with different K concentrations. Four wet–dry cycles were sequentially applied. Illites, vermiculites, and chlorites were present in all soils. Smectites were present in larger amounts in one soil. The increase in soluble and exchangeable K was expressed by linear equations in which the slops influenced by the dominant clay minerals. Potassium fixation was much higher in soils with more illites and vermiculites. Results revealed that different forms of K were affected by the dominant clay minerals but were independent from the rate of applied K.     

Characteristics of Clay Minerals in Podzols and Podzolic Soils

The clay minerals in Podzols and podzolic soils developed under coniferous forests in the Subarctic and Cool-temperate zones are characterized by the predominance of smectite and/or mica-smectite interstratified minerals in the eluvial horizons and chlorite-vermiculite intergrade in the illuvial horizons. A large amount of vermiculite is present in the eluvial horizons of some podzolic soils in the Cool-temperate zone. The illuvial horizons of these soils also contain free iron oxides such as goethite. Imogolite and allophane are present in the illuvial horizons of several soils derived from volcanic ashes. It is suggested that the critical bioclimate for the release of interlayered aluminum from the 2:1-type minerals lies between the Cool- and Warm-temperate zone. In the eluvial horizons of Podzols and podzolic soils, mica minerals and chlorite, as primary minerals, have been transformed to smectite through the pedogenic process. Based on previous studies on the structure and degradation of the dioctahedral mica minerals, it is considered that smectite is transformed from 1M-type mica minerals directly, and from 2M-type mica minerals via mica-smectite interstratifled minerals. The formation of a smectite lattice in the eluvial horizon should be a clay-mineralogical indicator of podzolization.     

The morphology and genesis of eight surface-water gley soils developed in till in England and Wales

The morphology is described of eight surface-water gley soils developed in til in Wales and central and northern England. Physical and chemical analyses as well as micromorphological observations are used to investigate processes affecting the genesis of the soils. The characteristic property of surface-water gley soils, namely slowly permeable subsurface horizons, causes a degree of periodie waterlogging within the profile. Effects of gleying and shrink/swell processes are described. Three main aspects of weathering are shown to be operating: decalcification in two of the three calcareous profiles, the breakdown of coarse into finer particles and the alteration of the clay fraction, chiefly the formation of mixed-layer minerals from mica. Argillic B horizons are present in some soils. In profiles developed in calcareous till the degree of decalcification relates strongly to the amounts of recognizable clay concentrations as seen in thin section. Of the other five profiles three clearly have argillic B horizons. Problems associated with the identification of argillic B horizons in surface-water gley soils in till are discussed.     

Assessment of potassium in soils

Abstract

Potassium in soils from selected plots of the Broadbalk Experiment at Rothamsted, and Rotation I experiment at Saxmundham, U.K. was measured by five methods: the boiling nitric acid extractions of Haylock and Maclean, electro‐ultrafiltration, release to Ca‐saturated ion exchange resin, and a new procedure using extraction by HCl under reflux. All. the methods showed clearly the Gifferences between the two soil types, and between the differently fertilized plots on the basis of amounts, and 1n some cases rates of release, of different categories of soil K (exchangeable, fixed and native). The quantity of exchangeable K measured by each method, except that by Ca‐resin, gave significant correlations with the K balance of the soils, and yield and/or K offtake of winter wheat grown on the plots. The new HCl ‐reflux method gave the closest correlations. The amount and rate of release of fixed (available but not exchangeable) K estimated by HCl‐reflux was also correlated with yield and offtake.     

不同土壤钾素释放动力学及其供钾特征的研究

应用自行研制的连续流动交换仪研究了取自不同类型的19个土壤样品的钾素释放动力学及其供钾特征。不同土壤钾的释放差异很大,钾的释放持续时间变幅为100～600分钟;最大释放速率变幅为0.46～20.55毫克千克-1分-1;平均释放速率变幅为0.009～1.25毫克千克-1分-1;总释放量变幅为40～430毫克千克-1。供试土壤钾的释放过程可以用一级反应方程拟合,表明钾的释放速率主要受交换位上钾离子饱和度的影响。应用一级方程计算出钾的释放速率常数变幅为5.4810-3～65.6210-3分-1。多数土壤的钾释放过程符合单一的一级反应;而以云母类为主,且含有部分绿泥石的土壤的钾释放过程由两个速率不同的一级反应构成,表明不同吸附位上的钾离子可能有不同的释放机制。用供试土壤连续种植玉米幼苗57茬进行土壤钾素耗竭试验,结果表明应用连续流动交换仪研究得出的土壤钾素释放的动力学参数可以较可靠地评价土壤的供钾特征。释钾速率快,持续时间长,总释放量大的土壤(如青海栗钙土),在耗竭试验中显出很强的供钾能力;而释钾速率慢,持续时间短,总释放量小的土壤(如广东砖红壤)在盆栽试验中供植物吸收的钾量很低。有的土壤(如四川紫色土)钾的总释放量不低,但释放速度快,持续时间短,在盆栽试验     

广东不同母质发育水稻土钾素的固定与释放

本文通过室内模拟和化学方法研究了广东几种不同母质发育的水稻土的钾素的固定与释放特性。结果表明,砂页岩、珠江三角洲沉积物、石灰岩和玄武岩发育的水稻土的固钾量均随钾加入量的增加而增大,但花岗岩发育的水稻土却相反;砂页岩、花岗岩和玄武岩发育的水稻土的固钾量在淹水时最高,而沉积物和石灰岩发育的水稻土则在恒湿时最高;沉积物发育的水稻土的非交换性钾累计释放量和平均释放速率显著高于其它母质发育的水稻土;施钾肥对非交换性钾释放的影响因土壤所含粘土矿物类型而异。     

Release of interlayer potassium in Norwegian grassland soils

Potassium (K) release from sources that are not initially exchangeable is attributed to depletion of interlayer K of micas and clay minerals or weathering of feldspars. The aim of the present study was to estimate the K release from interlayer K. Soil samples from 17 field experiments in ley on a range of mineral soils in Norway were used in the study. The change in K‐fixation capacity was used as an estimate of depletion of interlayer K. It was assumed that the increase in K‐fixation capacity during 3 yr of cropping was equivalent to the amount of K depleted from the interlayer positions. Mean K fixation increased in the majority of the soils during 3 yr of grass cropping both with and without K application. The increase in K fixation indicated that without K application, the K uptake from interlayer K amounted to 43%, 28%, and 26% of the K yield for clay soils, high‐K sandy soils, and low‐K sandy soils, respectively. Including K uptake from exchangeable K in the topsoil and from subsoil, the explained K uptake amounted to 79%, 69%, and 81% for the three groups of soil, respectively. Simple linear‐regression analyses showed that the change in K fixation during 3 yr of grass cropping was best explained by the percentage of clay in the soil.     

吉林省主要耕作土壤中含钾矿物组成及其与不同形态钾的关系

通过化学分析 ,X-射线衍射及镜检法研究了黑土、白浆土、黑钙土等吉林省主要耕作土壤的含钾矿物组成及不同形态钾的含量。结果表明 ,土壤中的含钾矿物以含钾长石和伊利石为主 ,钾长石主要集中在土壤砂粒部分 ,伊利石主要存在于土壤的粘粒部分。土壤的含钾矿物总量约占土壤矿物总量的 1/ 3多些 ,比南方土壤高 ;缓效钾含量丰富 ,供钾潜力大 ;速效钾含量在黑土、黑钙土中较高 ,而在白浆土中稍低。 3种土壤的全钾量与含钾矿物总量、粘粒中伊利石含量与粘粒含钾量、伊利石含量与缓效钾量、细砂中含钾长石含量与细砂中全钾量、缓效性钾与速效性钾之间呈极显著或显著相关。