Evaluation of Potassium Placement, Potassium Rate and Nitrogen Placement to Prevent Potassium Deficiencies

Late season potassium deficiencies are common in West Tennessee in part due to the horizontal stratification of potassium (K) in no-till systems.  The objective of this research was 1) to evaluate the potential to decrease the amount of applied fertilizer K by banding the nutrient at 2 in or 7 in and 2) to determine if placement of nitrogen (N) within a band could increase K fertilizer use efficiency.  Randomized, replicated trials were conducted at Milan, TN and Grand Junction, TN during 2015 and Jackson, TN and Grand Junction, TN during 2016.  Response to fertilzer K rate was significant at the 2015 Grand Junction location but placement of N and K was insignificant.  No response was significant at the 2015 Milan test site.  Data from 2016 is currently being collected and analyzed.