Estimation of Extractable Potassium in some Selected Soils in Albania.

JULITA SULA, FATOS HUQI, ILIR KRISTO*

Department of Agro-environment and Ecology, Faculty of Agriculture and Environment, Agriculture University of Tirana, Tirana, Albania

*Corresponding author e-mail: ilirkristo@yahoo.com

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Abstract

Exchangeable and nonexchangeable forms of potassium are important indicators for assessing the potential of soil for the supply plants with potassium. There are carry out several studies to evaluate the exchangeable and nonexchangeable forms of potassium in some Albanian soils with CAL and EUF extraction methods, as well as the relations between them.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the exchangeable forms of potassium using different extraction methods as Mehlich-3, Ammonium Acetate and Distilled Water as well as nonexchangeable forms of potassium extracted with 1 N solution of HNO₃.

For this purpose, 8 soil samples were collected in the western regions of Albania. The samples were analysed for the contents of exchangeable and nonexchangeable forms of potassium according to the respective methods. The results show that the soil contains 467.3 – 1002.7 mg K kg^-1 soil when extracted with 1 N solution of HNO₃. Amount of potassium extracted with the Mehlich-3method was 55,1 – 379.5 mg K kg-1 soil, with Ammonium Acetate was 61.1- 329.0 mg K kg^-1 soil, and with Distilled Water was 7.6 – 86.0 mg K kg^-1 soil.

A good correlation exists between the quantity of potassium extracted by Ammonium Acetate and Mehlich-3, but not with water extraction.

Keywords: Potassium, Exchangeable and Nonexchangeable forms, extraction methods,