Optimal K Management Improved Potato Yield and Soil Microbial Community Structure

Huan Zhao, Hai Liu, Houjun Xiao, Gang Hu, Ming Gao and Zhengyin Wang
Additional contact information
Huan Zhao: College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, China
Hai Liu: College of Business Administration, Guizhou University of Finance and Economics, Guizhou 550025, China
Houjun Xiao: Guizhou Institute of Soil and Fertilizer, Guizhou Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guizhou 550006, China
Gang Hu: Guizhou Institute of Soil and Fertilizer, Guizhou Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guizhou 550006, China
Ming Gao: College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, China
Zhengyin Wang: College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, China

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 11, 1-14

Abstract: Optimal potassium (K) fertilizer application in potato cropping systems can effectively increase food production and mitigate soil microbial ecosystem stress. The dynamics and sustainability of potato yield, the dynamics of potato commodity rates (CRs), and microbial community structure were explored under four different K application rates (kg K ha −1 year −1 ): 0 (control), 75 (low K), 150 (medium K), and 225 (high K). Compared with the low-K application, the medium-K and high-K applications increased potato yields by 8.08% and 11.66%, respectively. The mean CR of potato tubers during 4 years was significantly greater under the medium-K treatment than under the low-K and high-K treatments. Both medium-K and high-K applications significantly enhanced the sustainable yield index (SYI) relative to the Low-K application by 7.93% and 9.34%, respectively. Compared with the zero-K, low-K, and high-K treatments, the medium-K treatment improved the total phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) contents by 11.91%, 16.84%, and 11.66%, respectively. Moreover, the medium-K application increased the bacterial PFLA, actinomycete PFLA, gram-positive (G + ) bacterial PFLA, and gram-negative (G − ) bacterial PFLA contents in the soil. Overall, application of 150 kg ha −1 year −1 K fertilizer represents a promising fertilization strategy in potato cropping systems in Southwest China.

Keywords: K application rates; potato yield; sustainable yield index; microbial community (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/11/6579/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/11/6579/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:11:p:6579-:d:825812

Access Statistics for this article

Sustainability is currently edited by Ms. Alexandra Wu

More articles in Sustainability from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().