Soil Potassium

AUS-AMR-LVG-SOK General Moderate confidence

Benchmark Value

200 mg/kg

Direction: Higher is desirable ↑

Form: MaximumOnly

Scoring Curve

Scoring curve unavailable

The scoring engine could not generate a curve for this benchmark context. The primary form is Point, but the benchmark data may be missing required fields (e.g., optimal range bounds for an OptimalRange benchmark). This is typically a data quality issue in the benchmark pipeline.

Contributing Benchmarks

Point Primary MinimumOnly Guard MaximumOnly Guard

Evidence & Context

For practical purposes, a Colwell K value > 200-250 mg/kg on loamy soils can be considered a trigger point for investigating cation ratios and potential risks.

Metric Definition:

Colwell K (mg/kg) - plant-available soil potassium measured by sodium bicarbonate extractant

Benchmark Definition:

This is the upper detrimental threshold above which risks of cation imbalance and related livestock health issues increase in loamy soils of the Arid Mountain Ranges & Uplands biome.

Justification:

Based on agronomic guidelines indicating >200 mg/kg K increases risk of magnesium deficiency and related livestock health issues.

Sources (2)

Preview of Potassium | Fact Sheets | soilquality.org.au, accessed August 11, 2025,

Potassium | Fact Sheets | soilquality.org.au, accessed August 11, 2025, Government

Potassium | Fact Sheets | soilquality.org.au

Preview of SciELO Brasil - Potassium chloride: impacts on soil microbial activity ...

SciELO Brasil - Potassium chloride: impacts on soil microbial activity ... Journal

Potassium chloride: impacts on soil microbial activity and nitrogen mineralization - SciELO

Supporting Sources (29)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

Preview of (PDF) Long-term rundown of plant-available potassium in Western Australia requires a re-evaluation of potassium management for grain production: a review - ResearchGate, accessed July 28, 2025,

(PDF) Long-term rundown of plant-available potassium in Western Australia requires a re-evaluation of potassium management for grain production: a review - ResearchGate, accessed July 28, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

(PDF) Long-term rundown of plant-available potassium in Western Australia requires a re-evaluation of potassium management for grain production: a review - ResearchGate, accessed July 28, 2025,

Preview of (PDF) Soil potassium—crop response calibration relationships and criteria for field crops grown in Australia - ResearchGate, accessed July 18, 2025,

(PDF) Soil potassium—crop response calibration relationships and criteria for field crops grown in Australia - ResearchGate, accessed July 18, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Nutrient Cycling in Australian Savannas on JSTOR - DOI

Preview of ARID LANDS OF AUSTRALIA - Open Research Repository, accessed July 28, 2025,

ARID LANDS OF AUSTRALIA - Open Research Repository, accessed July 28, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

ARID LANDS OF AUSTRALIA - Open Research Repository, accessed July 28, 2025,

Preview of AusPlots-Rangelands: survey progress in the Northern Territory - Ninti One, accessed July 28, 2025,

AusPlots-Rangelands: survey progress in the Northern Territory - Ninti One, accessed July 28, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

AusPlots surveys begin in the rangelands - TERN Australia, accessed July 28, 2025,

Preview of Australian dryland soils are acidic and nutrient‐depleted, and have unique microbial communities compared with other drylands - Arid Ecology Lab, accessed August 3, 2025

Australian dryland soils are acidic and nutrient‐depleted, and have unique microbial communities compared with other drylands - Arid Ecology Lab, accessed August 3, 2025

Contextual Support Government

Soil Inorganic Carbon, the Other and Equally Important Soil Carbon Pool: Distribution, Controlling Factors, and the Impact of C

Preview of Australian Soils and Landscapes | Monitoring & Data | TERN - esoil.io, accessed July 27, 2025,

Australian Soils and Landscapes | Monitoring & Data | TERN - esoil.io, accessed July 27, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

Categories - Environmental management - CSIRO Data Access Portal

Preview of Cation Exchange Capacity - Local Land Services

Cation Exchange Capacity - Local Land Services

Contextual Support Government

Cation exchange capacity - NSW Department of Primary Industries, accessed July 28, 2025,

$Preview of Chemical fractions of potassium in arid region calcareous soils: The impact of microclimates and physiographic variability | PLOS One - Research journals, accessed July 28, 2025,$

Chemical fractions of potassium in arid region calcareous soils: The impact of microclimates and physiographic variability | PLOS One - Research journals, accessed July 28, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Potassium's pivotal role - Agronomic Insights, accessed July 28, 2025,

Preview of Do regenerative grazing management practices improve vegetation and soil health in grazed rangelands? Preliminary insights from a space for time study in the Great Barrier Reef catchments - CSIRO Research Publications Repository, accessed July 18, 2025,

Do regenerative grazing management practices improve vegetation and soil health in grazed rangelands? Preliminary insights from a space for time study in the Great Barrier Reef catchments - CSIRO Research Publications Repository, accessed July 18, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Case Study - Regenerative Rangelands - Landcare Australia, accessed July 23, 2025

Preview of Ecosystem Surveillance Monitoring - Confluence - atlassian, accessed July 27, 2025

Ecosystem Surveillance Monitoring - Confluence - atlassian, accessed July 27, 2025

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Potassium fertility impacts hay and pasture performance during drought - Field Crops, accessed July 28, 2025,

Preview of From the Ground Up - Department for Environment and Water, accessed July 28, 2025,

From the Ground Up - Department for Environment and Water, accessed July 28, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

The Critical Role of Potassium in Plant Stress Response - PMC, accessed July 28, 2025,

Preview of Location of AusPlots within Australia | Download Scientific Diagram - ResearchGate, accessed July 28, 2025,

Location of AusPlots within Australia | Download Scientific Diagram - ResearchGate, accessed July 28, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Location of AusPlots within Australia | Download Scientific Diagram - ResearchGate, accessed July 28, 2025,

Preview of Long-term rundown of plant-available potassium in Western Australia requires a re-evaluation of potassium management for grain production: a review - BioOne Complete, accessed July 10, 2025

Long-term rundown of plant-available potassium in Western Australia requires a re-evaluation of potassium management for grain production: a review - BioOne Complete, accessed July 10, 2025

Contextual Support Journal

Long-term rundown of plant-available potassium in Western Australia requires a re-evaluation of potassium management for grain production: a review - BioOne Complete

Preview of MacDonnell Ranges - DCCEEW, accessed July 29, 2025,

MacDonnell Ranges - DCCEEW, accessed July 29, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

www.dcceew.gov.au, accessed July 27, 2025

Preview of Plant nutrients in the soil - NSW Department of Primary Industries, accessed July 18, 2025,

Plant nutrients in the soil - NSW Department of Primary Industries, accessed July 18, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

Potassium In Soil Explained - Soil Quality Knowledge Base

Preview of Plant nutrients in the soil - NSW Department of Primary Industries, accessed July 28, 2025,

Plant nutrients in the soil - NSW Department of Primary Industries, accessed July 28, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Plant nutrients in the soil - NSW Department of Primary Industries, accessed July 28, 2025,

Preview of Potassium and Its Role in Sustainable Agriculture - ResearchGate, accessed August 9, 2025

Potassium and Its Role in Sustainable Agriculture - ResearchGate, accessed August 9, 2025

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Soil condition | NSW State of the Environment, accessed July 28, 2025,

Preview of Potassium for crop production | UMN Extension

Potassium for crop production | UMN Extension

Contextual Support Government

Potassium for crop production | UMN Extension

Preview of Potassium for high-performing pastures

Potassium for high-performing pastures

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Potassium for high-performing pastures | Nutrient Advantage

Preview of Potassium In Soil Explained - Soil Quality Knowledge Base, accessed August 11, 2025,

Potassium In Soil Explained - Soil Quality Knowledge Base, accessed August 11, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Healthy soils and soil test interpretation - North Central Catchment Management Authority

Preview of Potassium In Soil Explained - Soil Quality Knowledge Base, accessed July 28, 2025,

Potassium In Soil Explained - Soil Quality Knowledge Base, accessed July 28, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Effect of water quality on the leaching of potassium from sandy soil - ResearchGate, accessed July 28, 2025,

Preview of Potassium: A Vital Regulator of Plant Responses and Tolerance to Abiotic Stresses - MDPI, accessed July 13, 2025

Potassium: A Vital Regulator of Plant Responses and Tolerance to Abiotic Stresses - MDPI, accessed July 13, 2025

Contextual Support Journal

Potassium: A Vital Regulator of Plant Responses and Tolerance to Abiotic Stresses - MDPI, accessed July 28, 2025,

Preview of Soil condition | NSW State of the Environment, accessed August 10, 2025,

Soil condition | NSW State of the Environment, accessed August 10, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

Analysing water sensitive urban design options - Australian Water Association

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Soil health stocktake Queensland - GRDC, accessed May 11, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Soil health stocktake Queensland - GRDC, accessed May 11, 2025

Preview of Soil K rundown in the Western grains region – where, why and what does it mean for crop yields? - GRDC, accessed July 13, 2025

Soil K rundown in the Western grains region – where, why and what does it mean for crop yields? - GRDC, accessed July 13, 2025

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Soil K rundown in the Western grains region – where, why and what does it mean for crop yields? - GRDC

Preview of soils - of the australian alps, accessed July 28, 2025,

soils - of the australian alps, accessed July 28, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

soils - of the australian alps, accessed July 28, 2025,

Preview of The dirt on our soils - Curious - Australian Academy of Science, accessed July 13, 2025

The dirt on our soils - Curious - Australian Academy of Science, accessed July 13, 2025

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

The dirt on our soils - Curious - Australian Academy of Science

Preview of What are the optimum nutrient targets for pastures? - Soil Health Knowledgebase, accessed August 5, 2025,

What are the optimum nutrient targets for pastures? - Soil Health Knowledgebase, accessed August 5, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

What are the optimum nutrient targets for pastures? - Soil Health Knowledgebase, accessed July 18, 2025

Preview of www.barrierreef.org, accessed on May 25, 2025,

www.barrierreef.org, accessed on May 25, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Regenerative Agriculture Program restoring soil pH case study: Macdonald, Whites Flat/Koppio, accessed July 18, 2025,

Context

Region Australia
Biome Arid Mountain Ranges & Uplands
Land Use Livestock Grazing & Pasture
Assessment Not Stated
Evidence Type DegradationThreshold

Lifecycle

Status Active
Version 1
Effective From 10 Jun 2026

Notes

Exceeding 200 mg/kg K triggers investigation of cation ratios to prevent grass tetany in livestock. AssessmentContext defaulted to 'Not Stated' because the source document did not state one.

Related Benchmarks

Other benchmarks in the AUS-AMR-LVG-SOK family.