How to apply potassium fertilizer scientifically? Key points of the method explained clearly in one go

In addition to chemical fertilizers such as potassium chloride, potassium oxide and potassium sulfate, farmyard manures such as straw, peanut vines, human excrement and urine, livestock and poultry manure, turf mud and plant ash all contain varying amounts of potassium. Potassium can enhance plant photosynthesis and the synthesis of carbohydrates, making crop stalks sturdy and the grains plump. It can also improve crop quality. For example, the starch content of sweet potato can increase by 0.6%-2.1%, the crude fat content of sesame can increase by 0.8%, and the sugar content of sugarcane can increase by 1.1%.

Potassium fertilizer can also enhance the stress resistance of crops. After potassium fertilizer is applied to rice, it can reduce sesame leaf spot, akiochi disease, sheath blight and rice blast. It can also improve the cold resistance, drought resistance and lodging resistance of rice. Therefore, in potassium-deficient paddy fields, applying 0.5 kg of potassium chloride can increase rice yield by 2.5-5 kg.

Scientific application methods of potassium fertilizer

When using potassium-containing farmyard manure, two points should be noted: first, because the fertilizer effect is slow, it should be applied early; second, the potassium in turf mud and plant ash is easily leached away by water, so drainage from paddy fields must not be carried out too early. When using potassium chloride and potassium sulfate, which have relatively high potassium content, attention should be paid to the application methods:

1. Application rate: In potassium-deficient soil, applying 0.7 kg of potassium chloride or 10 kg of potassium sulfate per mu to rice has a significant yield-increasing effect.

2. Application timing: It can be used as a base fertilizer or as a top dressing. Using it as a base fertilizer or as an early top dressing gives a better yield-increasing effect than late application. In sandy fields with poor fertilizer retention, base fertilizer and top dressing should be combined and applied in stages.

3. Application method: When used as a top dressing for rice, deep placement as ball fertilizer gives the best effect, and it is generally applied together with farmyard manure or nitrogen and phosphorus. After application, it should be combined with field weeding. When broadcasting it over paddy fields, it should be applied after the dew or rain on the rice leaves has dried, so as to avoid burning the leaves.