JWSS - Journal of Water and Soil Science

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This study was conducted to determine the effect of 3 extractants on K release from biotite, phlogopite and muscovite. The minerals were grouped to <60 and 60-100 µm size classes. Particles CEC were saturated with calcium. Sequential extraction up to 30 times was carried out using 0.01M HCl, 1M NH4OAc and 0.05M BaCl2 solutions and cumulative concentration of K was calculated for each extractant. There was a difference among the 3 extractants in cumulative K release values from the three minerals. The highest values of cumulative K release were obtained by 0.01M HCl and 1M NH4OAc for less than 60 and 60-100 µm particle sizes, respectively. The amount of K release from muscovite was even higher when 1M NH4OAc and 0.05M BaCl2 solutions were used as extractants. This might indicate that muscovite cannot be considered as an ineffective source of available K in soils. Furthermore, particle size had a great impact on nonexchangeable K release from micaceous minerals. Coarser particles released higher quantity of K as compared to that of finer particles. Therefore, particle size distribution of different micaceous minerals in soils may be a factor that causes a difference in the amount of K release from soils.

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Many studies have been carried out on the effect of organic matter on soil physical, chemical, biological, and nutritional properties, including the effect of organic matter on the availability of such elements as P, N and heavy metals. There is, however, no information on the effect of organic matter on potassium uptake from micaceous minerals. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of organic matter on potassium uptake from micaceous minerals released by alfalfa. An experiment was laid out in a completely randomized design with factorial combination and three replicates. Growth medium was a mixture of quartz sand, micaceous mineral (muscovite or phlogopite) and organic matter (0, 0.5 and 1 %). Rehnani cultivar of alfalfa was used in the experiment. During 120 days of cultivation, plants were irrigated with either complete or K-free nutrient solution and distilled water as needed. At the end of cultivation, plant shoots and roots were separately harvested and their K concentration was measured by flame photometer following dry ash extraction. Under the K-free nutrient solution, a significant increase in biomass occurred in pots containing phlogopite and organic matter as compared to those with no organic matter amendment. Also, under K-free condition, potassium concentration in shoot was above the threshold value only in phlogopite amended pots. There was no significant difference in K concentration among different levels of organic matter in control treatment as well as in muscovite added treatment. Under both nutrient solutions treatments, significant increase of K uptake occurred in pots containing phlogopite and organic matter, as compared to those without it. In contrast, under K free nutrient solution, organic matter amendment could not enhance the K uptake in pots containing dioctahedral mica (muscovite). Root activities and organic matter decomposition appear to have increased rhizosphere acidity which, in turn, facilitate the K release from trioctahedral mica (phlogopite) in K deficient medium. Thus, the effect of organic matter on K release greatly depends on the type of micaceous mineral.

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In Iran, no research has yet been performed on potassium release from feldspar in comparison with that from muscovite. The objective of this research was to compare potassium release kinetics of these minerals as influenced by organic and inorganic extractants using successive extraction method. The experiment was carried out in a completely randomized design with a factorial combination. Treatments consisted of three kinds of K-bearing minerals (Muscovite, and Yazd and Ward feldspars), three extractants including CaCl2, oxalic and citric acids of 0.01 M concentration and 6 times of extraction (1, 2, 8, 24 and 48 hours). The results indicated that the potassium release from muscovite was 6-8 times higher than that from feldspars. The type of extractant significantly affected potassium release. Potassium release by organic extractants was 2.5-3 times higher than that by CaCl2 as an inorganic extractant. Different kinetic equations showed that power function, parabolic diffusion and first order equations adequately described K release whereas Elovich equation did not. Among the three equations, power function equation was selected as the best model describing K release from the minerals. Based on the selected kinetic equations, it seems that potassium release from K-bearing minerals is controlled by diffusion process.

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