Potassium status of Indian soils: need for rethinking in research, recommendation and policy

Abstract

Growing population and its need pressurize Indian agriculture to produce more from shrinking arable land. Balanced nutrition plays a key role in enhancing the productivity of crops and sustainability of production systems. Potassium is third most important plant nutrient. Recent studies showed declining status of K in majority of the soils in India. High crop K removal than K addition by farmers and imbalanced use of NPK fertilizers contributed to large-scale K mining and K deficiency in soils and crops. K fertility depletion observed in all soil types. Widespread K deficiency was identified in rice-wheat system of Indo-Gangetic plains, horticultural, plantation, ornamental, aromatic and avenue plants. The current fertilizer recommendations are obsolete, very much generalized without considering the soil types, hence need revision and revalidation. Site-specific fertilizer recommendations, if followed can minimize the fertility K depletion and maintain productivity and sustainability and also economize the fertilizer cost. Awareness on K use by farmers needs immediate action.