Different forms of potassium in pear orchard soils of district Budgam of Kashmir region

An attempt was made to study various forms of potassium in pear orchard soils of district Budgam to understand the actual reserves of potassium and to determine how much more impact is needed to maintain the potassium balance in the soil. A total of fifty-four surface samples (0-30cm) representing eighteen pear orchards from six altitudes were collected and subjected to different studies, viz., physicochemical characteristics, different forms of potassium, potassium saturation and leaf potassium. The results obtained revealed water-soluble potassium, available potassium, exchangeable potassium, HNO₃-extractable potassium, non-exchangeable potassium, lattice potassium and total potassium ranged from 0.012-0.045 cmol_ckg^-1, 0.224-0.474 cmol_ckg^-1, 0.201-0.429 cmol_ckg^-1, 1.328-2.642 cmol_ckg^-1, 1.019-2.168 cmol_ckg^-1, 27.436-43.846 cmol_ckg^-1 and 29.487-46.410 cmol_ckg^-1, respectively. All forms of potassium were positively and significantly correlated with each other indicating dynamic equilibrium among various forms. The leaf potassium content ranged from 0.35-1.84%. Among various soil properties organic carbon, clay and CEC ranged from 1.39-2.44%, 24.25-39.25% and 15.27-18.62 cmol_ckg^-1, respectively and played most important role to predict the variability of different forms of potassium.