Determining optimal potassium levels & management options for the West Midlands region.
The K Extension Project, funded by the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC), represents a pivotal initiative aimed at enhancing nutrient management strategies with a focus on Potassium (K) in cropping systems. This three-year project was initiated in response to the 2022 Regional Crop Updates in Moora, where the need for improved K management was identified as a critical issue for grain growers. The West Midlands Group leads this venture, emphasising the importance of K for optimal plant growth and addressing the limited use of K fertilisation in broadacre agriculture.
Commencement: 2023 | Completion: 2025
Funding body(s): Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) Project Lead Organisation: The West Midlands Group
Background
Growers in the West Midlands region have identified potassium (K) deficiency as an ongoing constraint limiting yield potential in sandy soils. Despite the general agreement that replacement potassium might have been underapplied over the years, there was a consensus that further research was needed, particularly regarding response by soil types, application rates, and the ability of some plants to recycle K from depth.
Growers were particularly interested in understanding when additional K might profitably benefit the crop in terms of timing and method of application. Concerns were raised that diagnostic methods, such as surface-tested Colwell K, were not providing an accurate picture of the level of potassium availability. Fertilizer supplier trials typically indicated low levels of K in many soil profiles (0-30cm), with responses to K application. A key question for growers was the potential yield loss that might not be evident due to a nutrient throttle on production.
Project Objectives
The K Extension Project aimed to investigate the potassium status of 10 paddocks across the West Midlands region to understand the K nutrient budget and determine if current management practices were supplying enough K for crop growth. The objectives were to assess the adequacy of K nutrition budgets for crop growth in the West Midlands region, identify the availability of K in the subsoil and its potential utilisation under favourable growing conditions for high-yielding crop growth. The project also sought to transform complex data into practical, accessible knowledge for growers, with simplified and informative delivery of information on K management.
K Nutrient Infographic
One of the K Extension Project key goals is to transform complex data into accessible, practical knowledge for our host farmers.
The final K Nutrient Infographic is a result of several design iterations. The final version (sample displayed below) effectively displays crucial information including management specifics like applied K during the growing season and critical K levels at various crop growth stages for wheat, canola, and barley. It also incorporates detailed graphs on K availability at depths, soil moisture, and soil strength, offering a comprehensive, easy-to-understand nutrient budget (without all the rows of an Excel spreadsheet).
