®SOLUPOTASSE

Potassium is vital to many plant processes. Potassium determines fruit size, leaf thickness, and stem strength. Potassium also plays a major role as a catalyst in the plant sap and transports carbohydrates from leaves to other parts of the plant, including the fruit. Crops which produce large amounts of sugars have an especially high requirement for potassium.

Potassium is required for numerous plant growth processes: enzyme activation, stomatal activity (water use), photosynthesis, transport of sugars, water and nutrient transport, protein synthesis and starch synthesis.

• A nitrogen-free source of potassium

Evidence suggests that an excessive supply of nitrate when fruit is forming can be detrimental to quality. SoluPotasse® allows

growers to develop fertilization programmes that exactly match crop requirements

• Virtually chloride-free

Chloride makes a significant contribution to soil salinity and an excess can be detrimental to the quality of many cash crops with

poor chloride tolerance

• Extremely low salt index

Salinity can destroy agricultural land by seriously reducing soil and water quality. Of the three most common potash fertilizers –

potassium nitrate (NOP), potassium chloride (MOP) and potassium sulphate (SOP) – SoluPotasse® has by far the lowest salt index

and is the best product to use in areas at risk from salinity

• Improves the yield and quality of fruit and vegetables

The use of SoluPotasse® provides high quality produce with outstanding flavour. In many cases, size and consistency, as well as

yield, are improved. Increased pigment content gives better colour and appearance. Higher levels of sugar and juice, combined

with a reduced acidity, provide better flavour and aroma

• Enhances nutritional value

SoluPotasse® has a positive effect on the plant’s production of vitamins, starch and sugar, the basic factors for high nutritional

value

• Provides durability and resistance

The use of SoluPotasse® provides firmer fruit and vegetables with a better resistance to bruising. It can also increase the

suitability of fruit and vegetables for canning or processing

• Consistent performance across a range of soil types

In alkaline and salt-affected soils, SoluPotasse® helps lower the pH level at the root surface, improving the availability of

phosphorus, iron and most other micronutrients. In acidic soils (mainly light or sandy) SoluPotasse® reduces cation leaching and

is considerably less prone to leaching than other potash fertilizers

• Contains the important secondary nutrient sulfur

Delivered in the sulphate form, which is easily taken up by the plant, sulfur is an important constituent of amino acids and

proteins and is also required for photosynthesis

Specifications

SoluPotasse® combines the essential nutrients potassium and sulfur in an optimal form that is readily available to plants.

A 51.5% K2O (42% K) and 47% SO3 (18.7% S) content enables SoluPotasse® to supply a very high concentration of nutrients.

SoluPotasse® is virtually chloride-free with a typical Cl content of only 0.6%.

Typical properties

SoluPotasse® is a fine white powder, which dissolves rapidly in water to give an acidic solution.

At low pH, the availability to the plant of phosphorus, iron and most other micronutrients is improved and the risk of clogging in

drippers is minimised.

SoluPotasse® dissolves rapidly and completely giving a clear solution with no residue.

At 25°C (77°F), it normally only takes a few minutes for SoluPotasse® to dissolve at a concentration of 100 g/l, the highest recommended

practical dose. Continuous stirring and the use of warm water will speed up dissolution of the product.

The time required to dissolve the product completely will, however, depend on the stirring technique as well as on the quality and

temperature of the irrigation water. Poor quality and cold irrigation water may also affect its solubility.

Compatibility

SoluPotasse® is compatible with most other soluble fertilizers within normal concentration ranges, except with those containing calcium,

which causes precipitation of calcium sulphate (CaSO4). SoluPotasse® is also compatible with most pesticides and fungicides.

It is recommended, however, that SoluPotasse® be dissolved first, before the addition of other fertilizers, especially those containing

magnesium.

TYPICAL SOLUPOTASSE® FERTIGATION PROGRAMMES

SoluPotasse® has been specifically developed for use in fertigation and the product has all the necessary characteristics to be ideal for

this application.

Calculations for specific solution concentrations are given below. A typical scenario is that a nutrient solution of 80 mg K per litre requires

a stock solution of 3.78 kg SoluPotasse® per 100 litres of water, injected at a rate of 0.5%.

For scenarios not described in the table, the following formulae can be used to calculate the relevant solution concentrations:

• Nutrient solution (K ppm or K mg/l) = 42.3 x concentration of stock solution (kg SoluPotasse® per 100 l water) x % injection rate
• Stock solution (kg SoluPotasse® per 100 l water) = 0.0236 x concentration of nutrient solution (ppm K or mg K/l) / % injection rate

SoluPotasse® does not contain any nitrogen. This allows it to supply efficient quantities of potassium while maintaining a high K/N ratio,

which is of special importance before harvesting vegetables or during fruit growth. The K/N ratio must also be adapted to soils or substrates

used in glasshouses or polythene tunnels.

Fruit trees

Fertilization of fruit trees is very often based on the nutrient content of leaves. Leaf analysis is therefore an indispensable tool to determine

the requirements of fruit trees. The figures opposite indicate the range of optimal K content for various fruit types.

The frequency of SoluPotasse® application depends on the soil type. For instance, light textured soils demand smaller more frequent doses

compared to heavier soils with a high fixation capacity.

Typical fertigation programmes are given on the next page. The quantities indicated are subject to further splits depending on local conditions.

Reference:www.tessenderlo.com