In agricultural production, the application of fertilizer is one of the important measures to increase yield and improve quality. There are many types of fertilizers, among them, potash fertilizer is valued by the majority of farmers because of its importance to the growth of crops. So, what is potash?What does it do?This article will give you a detailed answer.
Potash fertilizer, as the name suggests, is a fertilizer with potassium as the main nutrient. It is widely distributed in nature, such as soil, minerals, seawater, etc., which are rich in potassium. There are two main types of potash fertilizers: mineral potassium and biological potassium. Mineral potassium is mainly used in potassium-containing minerals, such as potassium chloride, potassium sulfate, potassium phosphate, etc.;Biopotassium is mainly used in animal manure, plant residues, etc.
Potassium has a variety of important functions in the plant body. First of all, potassium is an osmotic regulator within the cell. It maintains the water balance inside and outside the cell, preventing plants from being damaged by too much or too little water. Secondly, potassium is an important player in plant photosynthesis. It can promote the formation of chlorophyll and the conversion of light energy, and improve the efficiency of photosynthesis. Thirdly, potassium is a regulator of nitrogen metabolism in plants. It promotes nitrogen uptake and utilization, reducing nitrogen loss. In addition, potassium can also enhance the resistance of plants to diseases, insects, and drought, and improve the yield and quality of crops.
So, how to apply potash fertilizer reasonably?This needs to be determined based on the growth stage of the crop and the fertility of the soil. Generally speaking, the early growth and fruiting period of crops is the period when the demand for potassium fertilizer is greatest, and the amount of potassium fertilizer should be increased at this time. In the middle of crop growth, the amount of potassium fertilizer should be appropriately reduced. In addition, the demand for potassium fertilizer is also different for different crops, such as food crops, cash crops, fruit trees, etc.
When choosing a potash fertilizer, it is also necessary to pay attention to its properties and effects. At present, there are two main types of potash fertilizers on the market, one is water-soluble potassium fertilizers, such as potassium nitrate, potassium sulfate, etc.;The other is insoluble or insoluble potassium fertilizers, such as potassium chloride, potassium phosphate, etc. Water-soluble potassium fertilizer is easily absorbed and utilized by plants, but it is not resistant to leaching, and is suitable for top dressing or foliar sprayingAlthough the dissolution rate of insoluble or insoluble potassium fertilizer is slow, the fertilizer effect is long-lasting, and it is suitable for basal fertilizer or deep application.
In general, potash fertilizer is an important guarantee for crop growth and plays an important role in improving the yield and quality of crops. Therefore, in agricultural production, we should reasonably apply potassium fertilizer according to the growth needs of crops and the fertility of the soil to achieve the maximum benefit of agricultural production. At the same time, it is also necessary to pay attention to the selection and use technology of potash fertilizer to improve the scientific and effective application of potash.