Less potassium plus magnesium grows better rice, not worse
Crop Improvement
Acidic, magnesium-poor soils are common in hilly farm regions worldwide, and this study shows farmers can cut fertilizer costs and pollution risk while actually improving both how much rice they grow and how good it looks and cooks.
Rice farmers often pile on potassium fertilizer, but too much of it blocks the plant from absorbing magnesium, a nutrient it needs for photosynthesis and moving sugars into the grain. Researchers found that using a moderate amount of potassium instead of the usual heavy dose, paired with a good dose of magnesium, actually grew more rice with fewer chalky, starchy grains. It's a case where doing less of one fertilizer and more of another gives a better harvest, not a worse one.
Key Findings
Moderate potassium (120 kg/ha, K1) increased grain yield by 26.55% compared to no potassium, and matched yields from the higher potassium rate (180 kg/ha, K2)
Under moderate potassium, adding 60 kg/ha of magnesium (M2) boosted yield a further 6.21% compared to the lower magnesium rate
The K1M2 combination increased leaf area index and chlorophyll content while improving milling and appearance quality and reducing grain chalkiness and amylose content
chevron_right Technical Summary
A two-year rice field study in Sichuan, China found that cutting potassium fertilizer by a third while adding a moderate amount of magnesium boosted grain yield by over 26% compared to no potassium, while also improving grain appearance and reducing chalky, starchy defects.
Abstract Preview
Original paper
Reduced potassium fertilization combined with magnesium application improves rice population quality and regulates grain yield and quality
Inroduction Sichuan is a major hybrid rice-producing region, where paddy soils commonly suffer from acidification and severe magnesium leaching, resulting in low available-Mg status. Excessive pota...
open_in_new Read full abstractAbstract copyright held by the original publisher.
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