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A cation exchange resin method for measuring long-term potassium release rates from soil

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Abstract

The aim of the present study was to determine long-term K release rates from soil by use of a modified resin method, where vigorous agitation and soil–resin separations were avoided to minimise the dissolution of the soil minerals. Resins saturated with Ca2+ or H+ were tested; Ca2+ because it is the most dominating cation on the soil exchange complex, and H+ because it is an important K+ counter-ion released from plant roots. The tested soil: resin systems included two rates of agitation; no agitation, and gentle agitation where the soil particles visually did not move relative to each other. The resin beds were kept physically separated from the soil particles by use of a specially designed extraction tube. Three soils of the same mineralogical and textural origin, but exposed to different K input levels during more than 80 years, were used. A pot experiment with ryegrass was carried out using the same three soils. Vigorous shaking of the resin–soil systems was not needed to obtain a sufficiently high and rapid K release to the resin; even without agitation long-term K release rates could be determined. The accumulated K release was in all combinations of agitation rate, resin saturation ion and soil K status proportional to the square root of extraction time after 1000 h of extraction, indicating diffusion controlled K release from the minerals. Resin extractable K was closely correlated with ryegrass K uptake, indicating similarity in the extraction process. In contrast, K extracted with ammonium acetate or nitric acid did not provide information about the ability of the soils to release K in the long term. Based on the criteria :(i) substantial K adsorption under slow K release conditions; and (ii) achievement of a stable long-term K release within a limited extraction period, the Ca-saturated resins with gentle agitation and H-saturated resins without agitation are concluded to be best suited for routine laboratory work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Agroecology, Danish Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Research Centre Foulum, P.O. Box 50, DK-8830, Tjele, Denmark

    M. Askegaard

  2. Soil and Environmental Chemistry, Department of Natural Sciences, The Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, Thorvaldsensvej 40, DK-1871, Frederiksberg, Denmark

    H. C. B. Hansen

  3. Plant and Soil Science Laboratory, Department of Agricultural Sciences, The Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, Thorvaldsensvej 40, DK-1871, Frederiksberg, Denmark

    J. K. Schjoerring

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  1. M. Askegaard
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  2. H. C. B. Hansen
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  3. J. K. Schjoerring
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Correspondence to M. Askegaard.

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Askegaard, M., Hansen, H.C.B. & Schjoerring, J.K. A cation exchange resin method for measuring long-term potassium release rates from soil. Plant Soil 271, 63–74 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-004-2025-2

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