A Survey upon Alternate Potassium Amendments for Organic Fertilizers

The use of compost or manure in agriculture as an organic source of nutrients is common in many tropical, developing countries like our country, Iran. One of the drawbacks of such materials is their low potassium (K) content. Farmers commonly use chemical K fertilizers such as NPK formulations to obtain better crop growth and yield. These chemical supplements may have a negative impact on the environment through nitrate leaching into water, leading to eutrophication of surface waters that can affect public health. Gliricidia sepium, a fast-growing, tropical, perennial hedge plant was tested in organomineral fertilizer formulations. Average nutrient content of Gliricidia is 3.8% N, 0.32% P,1.8% K, 0.8% Ca, and 0.2% Mg. Using a sand culture and Amaranthus caudatus as a test crop, it was shown that amending commercial composts with 30% Gliricidia prunings would benefit many small-scale farmers and control environmental contamination

Keywords:

potassium , compost , organic fertilizer , environment , ecosystem management , plant