Impact of Different Potassium Levels on the Physicochemical Characteristics and Nutrient Content of Soil Cultivated with Safflower in Vertisols

The present field experiment was undertaken at department field of soil science and agricultural chemistry, Vasantrao Naik Marathwada Krishi Vidyapeeth, Parbhani to assess the “Effect of Various Levels of Potassium on K-Adsorption and Release Behaviour under Safflower in Vertisol” during Rabi season of 2022-23 and 2023-24. Ten different treatments combinations were used in the experiment which includes different potassium rates and recommended dose of fertilizer and control replicated there in RBD (Randomized Block Design). The results emerged out indicated that the Bulk density, particle density, porosity, pH, EC and CaCO3 was found non-significant at flowering and after harvest of safflower. Significantly higher value, of available N, P2O5, K, sulphur and DTPA Fe, Mn, Zn and Cu was recorded at flowering and after harvest of safflower in treatment receiving 100% RDF + 90 Kg K2O ha-1 at par with the 100% RDF + 75 Kg K2O ha-1, 100% RDF + 60 Kg K2O ha-1 and 100% RDF + 50 Kg K2O ha-1 as soil is deficient in Zn and Fe. The alone results indicated that the potassium supplying capacity of soil is not only depend on available K in Vertisol but it’s depend on the K fixation and release behaviour at added K in soil. The optimum K release and cost benefit ratio was recorded at application of RDF (60:40:00 Kg N and P2O5) + 50 kg K2O ha-1. This clearly indicated the application of 50 Kg K2O with RDF (60:40:00 Kg N and P2O5) was found beneficial than alone RDF for safflower in Vertisol.