TY - JOUR
T1 - Potassium management during the rotation from alfalfa to corn
AU - Yost, Matt A.
AU - Russelle, Michael P.
AU - Coulter, Jeffrey A
AU - Sheaffer, Craig C
AU - Kaiser, Daniel
PY - 2011/11
Y1 - 2011/11
N2 - High K fertilizer prices in recent years have made it imperative for growers to apply optimum K rates to alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.). Current university fertilizer guidelines in the Corn Belt do not change for the last production year, when alfalfa stand persistence is not a major concern. Furthermore, little is known about carryover of K applied to alfalfa on first-year corn (Zea mays L.) grain and silage yields. In 2008 to 2010, on-farm research was conducted on 10 fields with medium soil test potassium (STK) to determine response to K for alfalfa yield and quality in the last production year, and to estimate K carryover to first-year corn. Alfalfa yield and relative feed value (RFV) and quality (RFQ) did not improve with K fertilization. Herbage K concentration and K uptake increased with K fertilization across sites, indicating that applied K was available during the season of application. When corn relied on carryover K alone, each 100 kg ha -1 increase in the index of available K increased corn grain yield by 0.5 Mg ha -1, decreased stover yield by 0.4 Mg ha -1, and did not aff ect silage yields. Regardless of K rate applied to alfalfa, additional K applied to corn increased corn stover and silage yields by 10 and 8%, respectively. This suggests that carryover K was less available than K applied to corn. On medium STK soils going into the last year of alfalfa, applying fertilizer K to first-year corn rather than alfalfa may enhance economic return.
AB - High K fertilizer prices in recent years have made it imperative for growers to apply optimum K rates to alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.). Current university fertilizer guidelines in the Corn Belt do not change for the last production year, when alfalfa stand persistence is not a major concern. Furthermore, little is known about carryover of K applied to alfalfa on first-year corn (Zea mays L.) grain and silage yields. In 2008 to 2010, on-farm research was conducted on 10 fields with medium soil test potassium (STK) to determine response to K for alfalfa yield and quality in the last production year, and to estimate K carryover to first-year corn. Alfalfa yield and relative feed value (RFV) and quality (RFQ) did not improve with K fertilization. Herbage K concentration and K uptake increased with K fertilization across sites, indicating that applied K was available during the season of application. When corn relied on carryover K alone, each 100 kg ha -1 increase in the index of available K increased corn grain yield by 0.5 Mg ha -1, decreased stover yield by 0.4 Mg ha -1, and did not aff ect silage yields. Regardless of K rate applied to alfalfa, additional K applied to corn increased corn stover and silage yields by 10 and 8%, respectively. This suggests that carryover K was less available than K applied to corn. On medium STK soils going into the last year of alfalfa, applying fertilizer K to first-year corn rather than alfalfa may enhance economic return.
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U2 - 10.2134/agronj2011.0183
DO - 10.2134/agronj2011.0183
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:80455129955
SN - 0002-1962
VL - 103
SP - 1785
EP - 1793
JO - Agronomy Journal
JF - Agronomy Journal
IS - 6
ER -