Influence of potassium on growth, content of mineral nutrients and yield formation of the spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L.)

Abstract

In model experiment, an influence of increasing KCl doses on spring barley growth, accumulation of main mineral nutrients (N, P, K, Ca, Mg and Na) in main stalks, offshoots and roots and on yield formation and its structure was observed. Increase of weight of above-ground parts of plants was inhibited only at the beginning of experiment by increasing KCl doses, particularly, significantly lower growth of offshoots, but on the other hand production of dry weight of roots was negatively influenced during whole cultivation. Accumulation of main mineral nutrients in the plants was mostly influenced at potassium. Uptake of potassium by plant increased up to 37%. Yield of kernels was higher at variants with application of KCl but the correlation between higher K doses and the yield increase has not been statistically proved. Increase in the yield was reached by higher number of offshoots, higher number of kernels and higher weight of kernels in comparison with control. Content of main mineral nutrients in kernel was not influenced by application of KCl, but potassium content in straw was significantly increased.

Keywords

• Barley (<i>Hordeum vulgare</i> L.)
• plant nutrition
• potassium
• transport
• yield formation
• growth