Download potassium - ICL Fertilizers

POTASSIUM
Functions in the plant
• Regulates osmotic pressure
Groundnut plot with potash
• Regulates > 60 enzyme systems
• Aids in photosynthesis
• Favors translocation of
photosynthates
• Stomatal regulation of water loss
Groundnut plot without potash
• Enhances N uptake & protein
synthesis
Junagadh, Gujarat State (India), Sep 2000
POTASSIUM
-K
+K
Positive effects of K fertilization
• Promotes root growth & stronger stems
• Increases resistance to cold & water
stresses
• Reduces pest & disease attack
• Enhances crop quality (size, color,
protein, oil, vitamins, etc.)
-K
• Extends shelf life
+K
-K
K75
K150
POTASSIUM
Positive effects of K fertilization
-K
spikes
with K
Bananas in storage for 19 days
+K
grains
No K
POTASSIUM
Which crops are the biggest users of potash?
In USA, corn is the major consumer of potash. Over 40% of
the potash used is applied to corn.
In China, where farmers grow 2 or 3 crops a year, rice is
the largest consumer. An estimated 25% of the potash is
applied to rice.
In Brazil, roughly 70% of the potash is used on soybean,
sugar cane and corn.
In Malaysia, oil palm is the single largest consumer of
potash. As much as 75% of the potash is used on oil palm.
POTASSIUM IN SOILS
Plant
uptake
Fertilizer K
NonExchangeable
adsorption
Exchangeable
Soil solution
desorption
K
K+
Mineral
K
READILY AVAILABLE
1-4%
Leaching
weathering
K
SLOWLY AVAILABLE
2 - 6%
UNAVAILABLE
92%
Exchange positions
(K adsorbed)
K+ K+ K+ K+
K
K
K
K
In Soil Solution
Interlattice
(K fixed,
trapped)
-
-
K K
K K
-
-
K K
Structural K
K
K
K
K K
Soil clay minerals
(illite, vermicullite, etc.)
Soil primary minerals
(micas, feldspars)
POTASSIUM APPLICATION
KCl
Crop
uptake
K+
K+
K+
K+
K+
dissolves
Cl -
Leaching
(sandy soils)
Soil
solution
Absorbed
K+ K+ K+ K+
- -
- -
Soil clays
leaching
POTASSIUM FERTILIZERS
Characteristics
• K products are water soluble
• K nutrient content in fertilizer is expressed on a
K2O basis (in %). Although there is no K as such in
the fertilizer
• K fertilizers should be convert to K cation (K+) in
order to be absorbed by the plant roots.
• K fertilizers have no negative environmental effect
POTASSIUM CHLORIDE - MOP
Characteristics
• MOP (muriate of potash) or potassium chloride is: KCl
• K2O content is 60-62%
• MOP is completely soluble
Manufacture
MOP is mined from underground ores (IberPotash), or is the
result of crystallization from brine, either from solution mining
of KCl ore or precipitation from hypersaline lakes (Dead Sea)
MOP can be red, pink or white, naturally minor amounts of
iron impurities give a reddish color.
The color does not affect chemical composition and all have the
same agronomic effectiveness
MOP is produced in different grades: standard, fine, granular,
fertigation
POTASSIUM CHLORIDE - MOP
Advantages
MOP is the most common K fertilizer
MOP is the K fertilizer with highest K2O content
MOP is the cheapest K fertilizer per kg fertlizer & per K2O unit
Can be mixed with other fertilizers, and is a common ingrendient
in NPK bulk blends
Can be used in fertigation (only white potash, Ferti-K grade)
It contains chloride, an important micronutrient
Limitations
Not recommended for chloride-sensitive crops (such as tobacco,
avocado, and some grenhouse vegetables and flowers)
Not recommended under saline soils and/or saline waters
WHEN IT COMES TO POTASH,
CROPS ARE COLOR-BLIND
Both red and white potash are chemically the same salt: potassium
chloride (KCl)
Both have equal amounts of potassium (60 %) and chloride (47%)
Both are highly water soluble, being of equivalent agronomic
effectiveness
THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE IN THE AGRONOMIC
VALUE OF RED AND WHITE POTASH
AS LONG AS THE POTASH CONTAINS THE CORRECT
CHEMICAL AND NUTRIENT CONTENT, CROPS DO NOT
DISTINGUISH BETWEEN
WHITE POTASH AND RED POTASH
POTASH FOR FERTIGATION
(MICROIRRIGATION)
POTASH IS AN IDEAL K SOURCE :
High K content in the irrigation solution
Fully soluble in irrigation water
Compatible with N and P fertilizers
Fast dissolution
IS ONE AGRONOMICALLY BETTER THAN THE OTHER?
Red potash solution contains iron
impurities which can clog the
drippers
☺ White potash gives a clear,
clean and pure solution
NO CLOGGING OF DRIPPERS
Only WHITE KCl is suitable
for Fertigation
COMPOSITION OF POTASH (MOP)
46 Kg Cl
50 Kg K
96 Kg KCl
4 Kg others (*)
=
60 Kg K2O
(*) mainly MgCl2, CaCl2 and NaCl
POTASH (MOP)
the K fertilizer which has the highest K content
the cheapest K fertilizer
TO APPLY 150 KG K2O YOU NEED:
326 kg
300 kg
MOP COSTS LESS PER:
Kg fertilizer
250 kg
K2O unit
THE POTENTIAL OF POTASH :
A 10 HECTARE RICE FARM APPLYING
POTASSIUM AT A RATE OF 120 KG K2O/HA
% K2O
KCl
K2SO4
KNO3
WILL APPLY 200 KG POTASH / HA
60 %
50%
46%
WILL NEED 2 TON POTASH PER YEAR !
POTASH – STANDARD GRADE
For direct application and bulk blending
WHITE
RED
POTASH – FINE GRADE
For NPK granulation, liquid solutions and SOP
production (from MOP)
POTASH – GRANULAR GRADE
For bulk blending and direct application
RED
WHITE
FERTI-K
For application through irrigation systems (fertigation)
Approved for organic agriculture