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Potassium

Potassium is one of the three primary crop nutrients and is vital for plant growth and development.  It is important for many reasons:

• Overall plant health
• Cell wall strength, which reduces lodging and improves stock strength
• Disease management
• Respiration and the opening and closing of stomata

While there is a lot of potassium in the soil, only a small percentage is available for crop production. The biggest percentage is locked between layers of clay and unavailable for plant uptake.

In Western Kansas’ hot and dry conditions, it is especially important to have ample potassium. This allows the plant to conserve moisture by shutting down when it’s extremely hot and opening back up when temperatures cool down.Managing low potassium levels depends on severity, but there are many dry fertilizer options to help balance it. Readily available potassium sources for fertility programs, such as infer or foliar applications, can address immediate crop needs.

Be mindful of over-fertilization. Too much potassium can lead to diminishing returns. For example, adding too much potassium chloride (0-0-60), which also carries chloride (a salt), can cause yield reduction due to excessive chloride.

High potassium levels can also disrupt the balance of magnesium and calcium. If potassium and sodium levels combined exceed 10%, the soil can seal off, reducing water penetration. Even in potassium-rich soils, hot and dry conditions can lock potassium in the soil, potentially causing late-season potassium deficiencies, leading to green snap or lodging. Some growers apply potassium through fertigation systems with nitrogen to offset this.\

Potassium is crucial for balancing other nutrients and for crop production. Its management is key to providing sufficient levels for a crop.