Potassium rates on the cationic balance of an Oxisol and soybean nutritional status after 8 years of K deprivation

Highly weathered soils from humid tropics naturally have low contents of available potassium (K) to plants. Under these conditions, the K deprivation can change the equilibrium among cations in the soil and the nutritional status of some crops as soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merrill). A field experiment related to K fertilisation, spring soybean and diverse species of fall/winter crops, such as wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), corn (Zea mays L.), sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) or oat (Avena strigosa L.), has been carried out in Southern Brazil since 1983. The K deprivation for 8 years reduced soybean grain yield and the K contents in soil and plant tissues. K extractants, such as Mehlich-1 and ion exchange resins, had diverse sensitivities with the variation in the K exchangeable contents induced by K rates. The increased soil K content after K fertilisation reduced calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) contents in index leaves and altered its contents in the soil extracted by 1 mol L−1 KCl and ion exchange resins. Among the micronutrients, only B contents changed due to increased K rates, and had significant correlations with K and Ca contents in index leaves. The calculated Diagnosis and Recommendation Integrated System (DRIS) indices were compatible with soybean yield and K contents in soybean index leaves.