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Fertilize Civil Association, an organization that seeks to promote responsible management of crop fertilization, released results of the Potassium Nutrition Network, a project that began in 2018 and has the work of the INTA, the CONICET and the Faculties of Agricultural Sciences of the National University Entre Ríos and of Agricultural Sciences of Balcarce, with the support of companies URALKALI, NITRON y CANPOTEX.
La Ing. Agr. M. Fernanda Gonzalez, executive manager of FERTILIZAR Asociación Civil and coordinator together with Dr. Fernando García (FCA-UNMdP-Balcarce) of the entity’s Potassium Project, referred to the initiative and provided details on its results.
“The Project was designed on the hypothesis of a significant decrease in potassium (K) levels in the country –He indicated-, information that was corroborated with the construction of the nutrient availability maps carried out in 2011 and 2018 between pristine soils with soils in production -in a work carried out by the team of Dr. Hernán Sainz Rosas from INTA-FCA Balcarce- in the east of the Pampas region, mainly along the coast of the Uruguay River in Between rivers, and also in eastern Santa Fe and northeast of Buenos Aires, which add to the deficiency problem that already existed in soils in the area of the province of Currents”.
With this background, Fertilizar AC, INTA, CONICET and the faculties of Balcarce and Entre Ríos began new trials in the 2019-2020 campaign in Corrientes and in the east of Entre Ríos in rice crops, corn, Soy and wheat.
In this sense, Ing. Agr. Juan Orcellet, from INTA Concepción del Uruguay, in charge of the Entre Ríos trials, considered: “There was a significant response in 50% of the cases of corn, in 40% of soybeans and in 50% of wheat., that is to say that in this percentage of batches low levels of potassium were registered and the application of this nutrient resulted in significant responses, an increase in productivity and, therefore, the profitability of the crop ”.
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In figures, the average maximum responses were 301 kg / ha in rice, 1,509 kg / ha in corn, 281 kg / ha in soybeans and 485 kg / ha in wheat. And with these tests it was possible to develop “a preliminary calibration” of the exchangeable potassium analysis with the response of the cultures. “What this calibration shows us is that yield varies depending on potassium and we have a 90% relative yield in soil potassium values of 250 parts per million (ppm). That is, below 250 ppm we would have responses of more than 10% in performance ”, they specified.
Other tests
In trials carried out in regions such as the center-east of Entre Ríos, Santa Fe and Buenos Aires, potassium levels decreased less and the deficiency is not yet as relevant. They also stated: “But there are some trends in corn and soy already with an answer to the applications that we must observe carefully ”.
In response trials in Southeast Córdoba and in the center and southeast of Buenos Aires there are also still low potassium levels, so they are considered regions without deficiencies no significant physical responses thus far.
In a recent trial, begun in a field with sandy soils located in the district of 25 of May, Buenos Aires province, which measured a K level of 240 ppm, potassium chloride applications of 30, 60 and 120 kg / ha were made and it was preliminarily verified “the visual effect on the development of the culture ”compared to the control lot in which potassium was not applied.
“It is good to be able to anticipate what is to come later, because the potassium deficiency is unfortunately going to come”, Asserted the INTA 9 de Julio specialist, Ing. Agr. Luis Ventimiglia, who directed this Buenos Aires province essay. “That is why it is good to start generating information: when the problem comes we will know how to act,” he said.
Some recommendations
To summarize, Dr. García pointed out that in the east of Entre Ríos and south of Corrientes, “which would be the axis of Route 14”, there are “clear answers” to fertilization with K, “for very important deficiency situations”. He also added that “the batches have been set by performance and the variable that best explains the difference in environments is the exchangeable K content.”
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Thus, suggested “doing soil analysis to monitor the K level and fertilize” according to what the result indicates.
In addition, García anticipated that This Network will continue to evaluate the situation along the Paraná coast: in the center-west of Entre Ríos, in the south of Santa Fe and the northwest of Buenos Aires. “For now, in the other areas of the Pampean region, we simply have to continue to periodically monitor the potassium in the soil,” he said.
And he concluded with a warning: “It is obvious that to the extent that we continue to extract this nutrient via grain or forage production, and we are not replacing it, we will continue to find deficiencies and response situations in the future”.
The trials and conclusions
At the end of the month of October, a series of visits to the rehearsals of this Network were scheduled, with journalists, technicians and producers, specifically to the sites of 25 of May, prov. Buenos Aires and those of Gualeguaychú and Arroyo Barú, in Entre Ríos, to share progress on the response to potassium in different regions.
About that, the executive manager of Fertilizar AC. and Ing. Agr. Maria Fernanda González Sanjuan, declared: “From Fertilizar we promote this type of surveys thinking about the future, highlighting the importance of being proactive to be more successful in the management of nutrients and achieve greater sustainability of the system. We consider it key to be able to anticipate, understand the dynamics of the nutrient in each region, and anticipate a probable nutrient deficiency ”.
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