THE N:K RATIO IN CHERNOZEM AND CROPS UNDER DIFFERENT FERTILISATION PRACTICES AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Abstract
Despite nutrient stoichiometry is widely applied to assess plant nutrition, agronomists in Ukraine traditionally use absolute test values. To address this gap, the temporal variability of the N:K ratio in soil and plant tissues was considered in a long-term field experiment (1971–2017) investigating the effects of different potassium fertilisation systems on crop rotation productivity in the northeastern Ukraine (Kharkiv region). The study compared the aftereffect of a high potassium background (1800 kg ha⁻¹) and the systematic application of mineral fertilisers (NPK) at single and double rates within the crop rotation. Available K in Chernozem was positively correlated with annual precipitation, influencing the stoichiometric balance in plant tissues. Under dry conditions, the N:K ratio narrowed significantly, particularly with potassium-only fertilisation. In contrast, balanced NPK application maintained an N:K ratio comparable to that observed under optimal moisture conditions. The relationship between available K and water highlights the need to use stoichiometric relationships, including the N:K ratio, for balanced plant nutrition in the context of climate change. Overall, potassium fertilisation enhanced crop rotation productivity and contributed to a more stable nutrient ratio balance.
References
Adamenko, T. (2019). Climate change and agriculture in Ukraine. Bonn: German-Ukrainian agropolitical dialogue. APD. German Ministry of Food and Agriculture (in Ukrainian). 36 p. URL: https://climateadapt.enefcities.org.ua/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/zmina-klimatu-ta-silske-gospodarstvo-v-ukrayini.pdf
Bakare, A. O., & Osemwota, I. O. (2021). Influence of N:P:K Ratios in Soils on Growth, Nutrient Availability and Yield of Maize (Zea mays L.). Asian Journal of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition, 7(3), 28–40. https://doi.org/10.9734/ajsspn/2021/v7i330115
Baliuk, S.A., Grekov, V.O., Lisovyi, M.V., Komarista, A.V. (2011). Calculation of the balance of humus and nutrients in the agriculture of Ukraine at different levels of management. Kharkiv: City Printing House, 30 p. (in Ukrainian).
Briat, J.F., Gojon, A., Plassard, C., Rouached, H., Lemaire, G. (2020). Reappraisal of the central role of soil nutrient availability in nutrient management in light of recent advances in plant nutrition at crop and molecular levels. European Journal of Agronomy, 116, article number 126069. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eja.2020.126069.
Brownlie, W.J., Alexande, P., Maslin, M., Cañedo-Argüelles, M., Sutton, M.A., Spears, B.M. (2024). Global food security threatened by potassium neglect. Nature Food, 5, 111–115. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43016-024-00929-8
Chantal, K., Ong’or, B.T.I., Salvator, K., Fulgence, N., Norbert, A. (2019). Effects of potassium fertilizer on bean growth and yield parameters. International Journal of Advances in Scientific Research and Engineering (IJASRE), 5 (1), 1-7. https://doi.org/10.31695/IJASRE.2019.33001
DaCosta, M., Huang, B.R. (2006). Osmotic adjustment associated with variation in bentgrass tolerance to drought stress. Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science, 131, 338–344. URL: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Bingru-Huang/publication/277749462_Osmotic_Adjustment_Associated_with_Variation_in_Bentgrass_Tolerance_to_Drought_Stress/links/559434be08ae99aa62c58d71/Osmotic-Adjustment-Associated-with-Variation-in-Bentgrass-Tolerance-to-Drought-Stress.pdf
Dixon, J., Chadwick, O., Vitousek, P. (2016). Climate Driven Thresholds For Chemical Weathering In Post Glacial Soils Of New Zealand. Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface, 121, 1619-1634. https://doi.org/10.1002/2016JF003864
Eroğlu, A.S., Önder, M. (2023). Effects of potassium doses on yield and important agricultural properties of mung bean [Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek] genotypes. Selcuk Journal of Agriculture and Food Sciences, 37(1), 52–63. https://doi.org/10.15316/SJAFS.2023.007
Francos, M., Pereira, P., Alcaniz, M., Mataix-Solera, J., Ubeda, X. (2016). Impact of an intense rainfall event on soil properties following a wildfire in a Mediterranean environment (North-East Spain). Science of The Total Environment, 572, 1353-1362. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.01.145
Galmés, J., Pou, A., Alsina, M.M., Tomàs, M., Medrano, H., Flexas, J. (2007). Aquaporin expression in response to different water stress intensities and recovery in Richter-110 (Vitis sp.): Relationship with ecophysiological status. Planta, 226, 671–681. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00425-007-0515-1
Grzebisz, W., Gransee, A., Szczepaniak, W., Diatta, J. (2013). The effect of potassium fertilization on water-use efficiency in crop plants. Journal of Plant Nutrition and Soil Science, 176, 355-374 https://doi.org/10.1002/jpln.201200287
IUSS Working Group WRB. (2022). World reference base for soil resources, 4th edition. Vienna: International Union of Soil Sciences. URL: https://www.isric.org/sites/default/files/WRB_fourth_edition_2022-12-18.pdf
Ji, C., Liu, H., Cha, Z., Lin, Q., Feng, G. (2022). Spatial-Temporal Variation of N, P, and K Stoichiometry in Cropland of Hainan Island. Agriculture, 12, article number 39. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12010039
Kaldenhoff, R., Ribas-Carbo, M., Flexas, J., Lovisolo, C., Heckwolf, M., Uehlein, N. (2008). Aquaporins and plant water balance. Plant, Cell and Environment, 31, 658–666. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-3040.2008.01792.x
Kariuki, S., Schroder, J., Zhang, H., Hanks, T., McGrath, J. M., Payton, M. E. (2010). Temporal Variability of Soil Property Dynamics in a Grazed Pasture. Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis, 41, 2744-2754. https://doi.org/10.1080/00103624.2010.518265
Khristenko, A.O., Istomina, Yu.O. (2013). Soil and climatic conditions of Ukraine and the effectiveness of potassium fertilizers. Bulletin of agricultural science, 8, 10-13. (in Ukrainian). URL: https://agrovisnyk.com/oldpdf/visnyk_08_2013.pdf
Li, T., Liang, J., Chen, X., Wang, H., Zhang, S., Pu, Y., Xu, X., Li, H., Xu, J., Wu, X., Liu, X. (2021). The interacting roles and relative importance of climate, topography, soil properties and mineralogical composition on soil potassium variations at a national scale in China. CATENA, 196, article number 104875. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2020.104875
Li, Z., Zhang, R., Xia, S., Wang, L., Liu, C., Zhang, R., Fan, Z., Chen, F., Liu, Y. (2019). Interactions between N, P and K fertilizers affect the environment and the yield and quality of satsumas. Global Ecology and Conservation, 19, article number e00663. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gecco.2019.e00663
Luo, X., Mazer, S.J., Guo, H., Zhang, N., Weiner, J., Hu, S. (2016). Nitrogen:phosphorous supply ratio and allometry in five alpine plant species. Ecology and Evolution, 22, 6 (24), 8881-8892. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.2587
Malakouti, M.J., Majidi, A.X. (2019). Effect of Potassium Fertilizers Management on Some Quantitative and Qualitative Characteristics of Wheat. Water and Soil, 33, 635–645. https://doi.org/10.22067/jsw.v0i0.79599
Marschner, P. (2012). Marschner’s Mineral Nutrition of Higher Plants. UK, London: Academic Press, 178–189. https://doi.org/10.1016/C2009-0-63043-9
Mouttaqi, A., Mnaouer, I., Nilahyane, A., Belcaid, M., Ibourki, M., Lazaar, K., Diatta, L., Devkota, K.P., Kouisni, L., Hirich, A. (2022). How Does Organic Amendment and NPK Fertilization Improve Forage Yield of Cereals under Salinity and Arid Conditions? Case of Moroccan Sahara. Environmental Sciences Proceedings, 16, 51. https://doi.org/10.3390/environsciproc2022016051
Murrell, T.S. Mikkelsen, R.L., Sulewski, G., Norton, R., Thompson, M.L. (2021). Improving Potassium Recommendations for Agricultural Crops. Springer International, 455 p. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-59197-7
Nisha, K., Narender, S. (2022). Managing Water Stress by Potassium Fertilizer in Legumes for Sustainable Agricultural Intensification: A Review. Legume Research - An International Journal, 45(7), 793-803. https://doi.org/10.18805/LR-4094
Nosko, B.S., Hladkikh, Ye.Yu. (2011). The aftereffect of mineral fertilizers on the potassium fund of typical chernozem. Bulletin of agricultural science, 10, 14-16. (in Ukrainian)
Pogromska, Y.A. (2021). The content of exchangeable potassium in the soil depending on the method of tillage and meteorological factors. AgroChemistry and Soil Science, 91, 41-48. (in Ukrainian). https://doi.org/10.31073/acss91-05
Römheld, V., Kirkby, E.A. (2010). Research on potassium in agriculture: needs and prospects. Plant and Soil, 335, 155–180. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-010-0520-1
Roy, R.N., Finck, A., Blair, G.J., Tandon, H.S. (2006). Plant nutrition for food security: A guide to integrated nutrient management. FAO Fert & Plant Nutrition Bulletin, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome, Italy, from https://openknowledge.fao.org/handle/20.500.14283/a0443e
Sardans, J., Peñuelas, J. (2015). Potassium: a neglected nutrient in global change. Global Ecology and Biogeography, 24, 261-275. https://doi.org/10.1111/geb.12259
Shah, I.H., Jinhui, W., Li, X., Hameed, M.K., Manzoor, M.A., Li, P., Zhang, Yi., Niu, Q., Cgang, L. (2024). Exploring the role of nitrogen and potassium in photosynthesis implication for sugar: Accumulation and translocation in horticultural crops. Scientia Horticulturae, 327, article number 112832. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scienta.2023.112832
Sheldrick W.F., Syers J. K., Lingard J. (2002). A conceptual model for conducting nutrient audits at national, regional, and global scales. Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems, 62, 61–72. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1015124930280
Shu, X., Jin, M., Wang, S., Xu, X., Deng, L., Zhang, Z., Zhao, X., Yu, J., Zhu, Y., Lu, G., Lv, Z. (2024). The Effect of Nitrogen and Potassium Interaction on the Leaf Physiological Characteristics, Yield, and Quality of Sweet Potato. Agronomy, 14, article number 2319. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy14102319
State Statistics Service of Ukraine (2023). Agriculture, forestry and fisheries of Ukraine. Use of fertilizers and pesticides for the 2023 crop harvest. https://www.ukrstat.gov.ua/ (accessed 07/2024) (in Ukrainian)
Su, B., Zhao, G., Dong, C., Chen, X. (2019). Scale characteristics and effects on spatial variability of soil available nutrients. Applied Engineering in Agriculture, 35, 221-230. https://doi.org/10.13031/aea.12963
Ziadi, N., Bélanger, G., Cambouris, A., Tremblay, N., Nolin, M.C., Claessens, A. (2008). Relationship between phosphorus and nitrogen concentrations in spring wheat. Agronomy Journal, 100, 80-86. https://doi.org/10.2134/agrojnl2007.0119er
Zörb, C., Senbayram, M., Peiter, E. (2014). Potassium in agriculture - status and perspectives. Journal of Plant Physiology, 171, 656–669. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jplph.2013.08.008
