TROPICS Vol.

13 (4)

Issued 31st March, 2004

Field Note
Economic balance of crops and fruits production by K, Mg and S
fertilizers application in subtropical red acid soil of Guangxi
province, China
Hongwei TAN
Soil and Fertilizer Institute,Guangxi Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanning 530007, Guangxi province, China; E-mail: hwtan@public.nn.gx.cn

ABSTRACT
Guangxi province is located in the southern sub-tropical region of China has high temperatures and heavy rainfall, resulting
in soils with mainly low cation exchange capacity (CEC), low organic matter, and poor phosphorus (P), potassium (K) and sulphur (S)
nutrient content (Zhang et al., 1998). According to the results of 86 trials in Guangxi, application of potassium (K) fertilizer significantly
increased yield more than the application of NP fertilizer only, and also increased the quality of crops and fruit markedly. As lateritic red soil,
latosol and silicosol in upland soils of Guangxi contain a low amount of exchangeable magnesium of less than 70 mg/kg, Mg application also
improved crop growth.
The major lowland cropping system is early rice-late rice. Over the years, less and less organic matter has been recycled (Yoshida,
1981), because it has been put to commercially as fodder, or fuel. At the same time, for P calcium-magnesium-phosphate (CaMgP) use has
increased. With increasing yields, the uptake of S by rice also increased (Morris, 1990). Thus, S deficiency started to become a serious
problem.
When K fertilizer was applied to crops, gross income increased between 1,871-4,634 RMB/ha. For fruit trees, applying K fertilizer
increased gross incomes 4,424-25,043 RMB/ha. The benefits from the application of S-fertilizers, rice-rice cropping system, Ammonium
sulphate, Single superphosphate, Elemental S and Gypsum resulted in a net income of 1891.9 RMB/ha, 1821.3 RMB/ha, 1883.0 RMB/ha and
1659.0 RMB/ha, respectively.
Key words: Guangxi, red acid soil, K, Mg and S fertilizer application, crops and fruits production, economic balance

Guangxi is located in the humid subtropic and northern part of the tropic zone in China. The rainfed upland soils of Guangxi
province in South China are subject to high rainfall and heat, as well as an intense climate that has effectively made most
soils have a low CEC, low organic matter, low P, K and S. The zonal soils are the red soils, the lateritic red loams and the
latosol stretching from the north to the south of Guangxi. Altogether these three soil types are called acid red soils,
comprising 10 million ha or 66% in the total cultivated area of Guangxi. The parent material of the acid red soils through a
strong weathering process and the element potassium (K) was intensely leached out from the soils (Xie et al., 2000). The
rate of translocation of K from soils was 41-91%. Their total K content now is 0.86%. Slow-released K content is 12-1627
mg/kg, with an average content of 133 mg/kg. Available K content is 13-302 mg/kg, with an average of 53 mg/kg (Tan et al.,
1995).
Plant available Mg in the main upland soils of Guangxi province is quite variable (10.9 to 371 mg exchangeable Mg/kg),
but soils commonly used for crop production, such as lateritic red earth, latosols and silicosols, often have less than 70 mg
exchangeable Mg per kg of soil (Xie & Du., 1991). Also plant nutrient sulphur is of growing worldwide importance as food
production continues to increase in Guangxi.
When fertilized, these soils can support a wide variety of highly valueable crops. It is apparent, however, that the future
profitability of the region depends on balanced fertilization. This article describes how insufficient soil magnesium (Mg) has
limited crop yield, quality, and how to increase the efficiency of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) fertilizers.
The field experiments were distributed in areas with red soil, lateritic and latosol, in the central and south parts of Guangxi
province. Four replications were used for cash crops with randomized block design. Each plot area was 33.3 square meters.
Total N, P and K of stalk were determined by the K2Cr2O7 + H2SO4 digestion method, the H2SO4 + HClO4-molybdenum blue
method, and CaCO3 + NH4Cl fusion-flame photometric method, respectively. Total plant S was determined by the HNO3 +
HCLO4 boil method.

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Hongwei TAN

Effects of K fertilizer application

K fertilizer for crops and fruit was applied as follows: a. NP, b. NPK1, c. NPK2 and d. NPK3 (Table 1).
Table 1. K fertilizer application rate for various crops (kg/ha)
Crop

K1

K2

K3

Peanut

34.5

75

75

150

225

180

225

300

375

Sugar cane

300

Cassava

150

72

75

150

225

Mango

300

375

375

600

825

Citrus

1025

375

375

750

1125

Pineapple

300

150

300

450

600

Lichi

300

375

375

600

825

Longan

300

375

375

600

825

Note: P as P2O5, K as K2O

According to the results of 86 trials in Guangxi, application of K fertilizer significantly increased yield more than the
application of NP fertilizer only. For example, when peanut, sugar cane and fruit trees received K fertilizer yield increases of
40.5%, 38.9% and a range between 16.9-63.1%, respectively, were recorded (Table 2). After 6 years of K fertilizer
application, soil fertility also improved; the alkali-hydrolyzable nitrogen, available phosphate, available potassium and soil
organic matter increased 26.1 mg/kg, 5.4 mg/kg, 32.8 mg/kg and 0.56%, respectively. (Tan et al., 1994)
Table 2. Effects of K fertilizer on yield increase of cash crops and fruit
Crop

Fresh yield increase*

(t/ha)

Peanut
Sugar cane
Cassava
Banan
Mango
Citrus
Pineapple
Lichi
Longan

Increase rate
(%)

Yield efficiency**
(kg/kg K2O)
3.4
102.3
85.5
6.8
5.9
11.8
36.9
7.6
3.0

40.5
38.9
38.8
63.1
34.4
16.9
29.2
30.9
33.2

1.4
25.7
6.2
11.9
2.2
4.4
11.1
2.9
1.1

*yield with K application-yield with no K application.

**yield with K application-yield with no K application / K2O application rate.

When K fertilizer was applied to cash crops, gross income increased 1,871-4,634 RMB/ha. After deducting fertilizer
costs, net income was between 1,347-3,586 RMB/ha. For fruit trees, applying K fertilizer increased gross income 4,42425,043 RMB/ha, while net income ranged from 3,550 to 21,268 RMB/ha. The cash crops and fruit tree output/input ratio for
applying potassium was 3.57 : 1 and 13.1 : 1 (Table 3).
Table 3. Economic balance of cash crops and fruit by K fertilizer application
Crop
Peanut
Sugar cane
Cassava
Banana
Mango
Citrus
Pineapple
Litchi
Longan

Output increased
with K-fertilizer
(RMB/ha)

Input increased
with K-fertilizer
(RMB/ha)

2769
4634
1871
25043
4424
6614
5547
11412
5550

699
1049
524
3775
874
874
699
874
874

Net income increased

Output/input ratio
with K-fertilizer
(RMB/ha)
2070
3586
1347
21268
3550
5740
4848
10538
4676

3.96
4.42
3.57
6.63
5.06
7.57
7.94
13.06
6.35

Note: Price of crops (RMB/kg): peanut=2; sugar cane=0.18; banana=2.10; mango=2.00; cassava=0.30; citrus=1.50; pineapple
=0.50; litchi=4.00; longan=5.00. RMB is Chinese currency.

289

Economic Balance of Crops and Fruits Production by K, Mg and S

Effect
Mgfertilizer
fertilizer
application
Effect ofofMg
application
Mg fertilizer on crops was applied as follows: a. NP, b. NPMg, c. NPK1, d. NPK1Mg, e. NPK2 and f. NPK2Mg (Table 4).
Table 4. Mg fertilizer applied rate for various crops

(kg/ha)

Crop

K1

K2

K3

Peanut

34.5

75

75

150

60

Cassava

150

72

75

150

60

Kenaf

150

75

102.5

205

60

Sugar cane

300

180

225

300

60

Watermelon

180

135

135

270

60

Pineapple

300

150

300

450

60

75

75

150

60

Soybean

34.5

Note: P as P2O5, K as K2O, and Mg as MgO.

The main upland soils of Guangxi contain 10.9 to 371 mg/kg exchangeable magnesium (Mg) (Tan et al., 1995). Some
lateritic red earth, latosol and silicosol soils commonly used for crop production contain less than 70 mg/kg of exchangeable
magnesium.
With Mg application, crop yields increased on average 4.7-40.3% (Table 5). It is also important to note that most crop
yield, improved even more when Mg fertilization was done in conjunction with K application.

Table 5. Crops yield with magnesium fertilizer application

Crops
Cassava

(kg/ha)

Treatment
NP

NPMg

NPK1

NPK1Mg

NPK2

NPK2Mg

8400

9516

19270

21207

23697

27788

Kenaf

--

--

1940

2366

2620

3012

Sugar cane

60938

64875

82610

99426

85484

93176

Watermelon

24724

34695

41991

44584

44284

46371

Pineapple

35563

37969

44906

49063

45163

52219

In heavy rainfall, soil Mg is subject to rapid weathering, and a considerable amount of Mg is lost through leaching. At
the same time, higher yields of crops with high Mg uptake, due to improved varieties and increased fertilizer use, has
resulted in greater removal of Mg from the soil. For instance, cassava and sugar cane uptake 19-130 kg MgO/ha per year
(Table 6). Higher NPK fertilizer use producing higher yields has also resulted in greater crop removal of Mg from these
soils. The problem of soil magnesium deficiency had not been solved yet in Guangxi.

Table 6. Mg uptake by plant and Mg remains in soil

Crops

Sugar cane

Cassava

Treatment

Mg uptake (MgO kg/ha)

Mg balance (MgO kg/ha)

NPK1

102

-102

NPK1Mg*

117

-54

NPK2

130

-130

NPK2Mg*

137

-74

NPK1

19.4

-19.4

NPK1Mg**

19.9

+20.6

Note: * 63.0 kg/ha MgO, and ** 40.5 kg/ha MgO

290

Hongwei TAN

Effect
surphur
application
Effect ofofsurphur
application
S fertilizer on crops was applied as follows: a. No sulphur (CK), b. Ammonium sulphate (AS), c. Single superphosphate
(SSP), d. Elemental S (ES), e. Gypsum (GYP), f. 50% S from gypsum and 50% from elemental S (50% GYP + 50% ES), and
g. 70% S from gypsum and 30% from elemental S (70% GYP + 30% ES). The N, P and K rates of each treatment was
adjusted to equal levels with urea, Ca-Mg-P and potassium chloride.
The effect of various sulphur fertilizers (S-fertilizers) on grain yield of early rice was very significant (Table 7). Yield
increased 9.1% to 10.3%. The differences of grain yield among the various S-fertilizer treatments were small. Though no Sfertilizer was applied to late rice, the residual effect of S-fertilizers increased its grain yield 7.0% to 7.9%. The effect of Sfertilizer on the total grain yield of rice-rice cropping was significant. The increased production of rice was 8.3% to 9.2%. The
ES treatment elicited the highest yield.
Table 7. Effect of various S sources on increased dry grain yielda) and increased dry grain
yieldb) ratio
S fertilizers
Crops

Ammonium
sulphate

Single
superphosphate

Elemental S

Gypsum

Early rice yield than CK (kg/ha)

557* (9.1)

572** (9.3)

631** (10.3)

623** (10.2)

Late rice yield than CK (kg/ha)

409** (7.6)

383** (7.1)

422** (7.9)

377** (7.0)

Total yield than CK (kg/ha)

967** (8.4)

956** (8.3)

1054** (9.2)

1001** (8.7)

Note: * and ** significance at 0.10 and 0.05 level, respectively, in comparison with CK.
a)
Increased grain yield=rice yield with application S-rice yield without application of S.
b)
Increase grain yield (%)= (rice yield with application of S-rice yield without application of S)/rice yield without
application of S.

The application of S-fertilizers increased the S content in straw and the S content in grain of early rice and early corn
significantly (Mamaril et al., 1991). S uptake by early rice increased significantly. The residual effect of S-fertilizers on the S
content of late rice was not significant. When no fertilizer was applied to soil, rice-rice cropping system uptakes 38.6 S
kg/ha/year from soil. When 30 S kg/ha/year was applied to soil the annual S absorption increased to 43.1-45.8 S kg/ha/year for
rice-rice cropping. In other words, when 30 S kg/ha/year was applied to the soil, rice-rice cropping still uptakes 13.1 to 15.8
kg S per ha from the soil.
According to the results of rain analysis and the quantity of rain, rainfall added 47.6 kg/ha S as SO 4-2 per year.
Considering soil absorption of SO4-2 and SO4-2 loss with water flow, it is estimated that only about 50 percent of the SO4-2 in
rainfall is used by the crops. Therefore, it is estimated that about 23.8 kg/ha SO4-2 was added to these rice crops per year.
It was calculated that about 12.2 kg/ha S was added to the rice crops per year in irrigation water. An estimate of the total
S available to the two rice crops (including 30 kg/ha S added as fertilizer and water supplier) and the amount taken up by
them indicates that there is a balance, although slightly more is taken up by the plants than the estimated available amount of
S (Table 8).
Table 8. Sulphur balance in early rice - late rice cropping system

(kg/ha)

No sulphur

Ammonium
sulphate

Sulphur income*

36.0

66.0

66.0

66.0

66.0

S uptake by rice

38.6

44.4

43.1

45.8

44.3

Sulphur balance

-2.6

21.6

22.9

20.2

21.7

Item treatment

Single
superphosphate

Elemental S

Gypsum

* from rain, irrigation water and fertilization

For economic analysis, the results of Table 9 showed that the benefits from the application of S-fertilizers were very
good. Especially, the inputs of AS and SSP decreased, but their outputs increased greatly. As for rice-rice cropping system,
ES treatment had a the net income of 1883 RMB/ha.

291

Economic Balance of Crops and Fruits Production by K, Mg and S

Table 9. Economic balance on rice-rice cropping by S fertilizer application

Treatments

Rice yield
(t/ha)

Income
(RMB/ha)

Increased price
(RMB/ha)

Input fertilizer price

(RMB/ha)

Net
increased
income
(RMB/ha)

CK

11.4

21,000

----

----

----

AS

12.4

23,000

1837

-54.9

1891.9

SSP

12.4

23,000

1816

ES

12.5

23,000

2003

120.0

1883.0

GYP

12.4

23,000

1902

243.0

1659.0

-5.25

1821.3

NOTES: Prices (RMB/kg): Urea=2.60, Ca-Mg-P=0.64, SSP=0.50, KCl=1.60, AS=0.75,=4.00, GYP=1.50, Rice=1.90;
Increased price=price of S fertilizer application-price of CK;
Fertilizer price balance=price of S fertilizer application-price without S fertilizer application

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Mr. Zhou Liuqiang, Mr. Xie Rulin and Ms. Huang Meifu for help in the field experiment. The author is also grateful to Dr.
Portch of the Potash and Phosphate Institute of Canada for revising the manuscript.

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Received 22nd Apr. 2003
Accepted 17th Oct. 2003