| dc.description.abstract | Potassium fertilization is very important to alfalfa crop in terms of yield, quality and persistence of forage, especially on soils naturally poor K. Thus, to assess the effects of K fertilization in alfalfa production and nutritional status, was carried out an experiment in a greenhouse using samples of a Dystrophic Oxisol medium texture (LV) (0.6 mmol(c) dm(-3) K) and a Dystrophic Ultisol sandy/medium texture (PVA) (2.2 mmol(c) dm(-3) K). A completely randomized design in a factorial arrangement 6 x 2 (six K rates and two soils) was used, with four replications. The K rates used were: 0, 25, 50, 100, 150 and 200 mg kg(-1) K. Potassium fertilization increased K content in soil and shoots. Dry matter production was increased with the K addition. However, in the PVA, this occurred only in the second cut. In LV, potassium fertilization increased N concentration in alfalfa shoots in both cuts. Plants with K concentration around 10 g kg(-1) had typical symptoms of this nutrient deficiency. The K critical levels of K in soil and shoots were 1.8 mmolc dm(-3) and 16.7 g kg(-1), respectively. | |
