Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

CRITICAL LIMITS OF POTASSIUM IN SOIL AND PLANT FOR INCREASED PRODUCTIVITY OF SORGHUM (SORGHUM BICOLOR L.)

Raj Kumar Meena, V.M. Amrutsagar, M.K. Verma, Vishal Seth, R. Meena, Maneesh Kumar and L.K. Jat

Abstract

A pot culture experiment was conducted to determine the critical limits of potassium in soil and plant for sorghum (cv. Phule vasudha) at M.P.K.V., Rahuri, Maharastra, India. Soils varying in potassium status viz., low, medium and high were collected from eighteen different locations. The experiment was laid out in factorial completely randomized design (FCRD) with two levels of potassium K0 and K1 (0 and 50 kg K2O ha-1). The dry matter yield of sorghum was significantly influenced by locations in low, medium and high soil available potassium status soils. The interactions between potassium application and category (low, medium and high soil available potassium) were found statistically significant for dry matter yield of sorghum. However, results were non significant in interaction between potassium application x category x locations. Bray’s percent yield and potassium uptake by sorghum plant were significantly correlated with available potassium. The critical limits of potassium in soil (NNNH4OAc extractable) for sorghum as per graphical and statistical method were 527.00 and 560.00 kg ha-1 respectively. Whereas, the critical limits of potassium in plant for sorghum were 2.10 and 2.08 per cent by graphical and statistical method.