An Assessment of Potassium Reserves and K Desorption in Micaceous Alfisols and Inceptisols Using Conventional Estimates and Electroultrafiltration

Potassium reserves and K desorption in six micaceous red soil profiles, sampled from areas of Kandukur division in Prakasam district of Andhra Pradesh, were determined by using conventional estimates and electro-ultrafiltration (EUF) technique. Larger non-exchangeable, step and constant rate K values observed for these red soils have been attributed to greater amounts of mica in the silt and clay fractions of these soils. EUF 10 K showed more or less similar trend as water-soluble K. EUF-K-quotient showed the same trend as step and non-exchangeable K. The red soils investigated have large K reserves and high K supplying power. Highly significant correlations were observed between conventional estimates and various EUF fractions of K.