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Saturday, February 4, 2012

The Role of Potash In Fertilizer

By Adriana Noton


The reason that potash is such an important mineral and so much attention is given to it in the mining industry is because of its role in commercial fertilizers. In short, potash supplies much of the potassium in fertilizer and it can't be replaced by any other substance and still get the same effect. Potash provides many irreplaceable benefits as a plant nutrient, and without it, many of the world's crops would be ruined. The next time you hear someone ask, what is potash, you can tell them all about the vital role it plays in how fertilizer feeds plants.

Potash acts as the catalyst in several different processes that take place within plants. These include forming high-energy compounds and carrying organic matter along the bodies of the plants. Potash also helps to form the actual cell walls of the plants, increasing the cellulose and pectin levels within the plants. This enables the plants to accept nutrition more readily and helps them to fight off pests and agricultural disease. By applying a fertilizer that's rich in potash, farmers can help to curb the accumulation of plain organic compounds where many pests live. The stronger cell walls created by the potash levels in fertilizer improve the plant's resistance to pathogens and bacteria, which is yet another reason why potash is so important in producing healthy crops.

Potash also helps to prepare plants for the winter by increasing their resistance to frost and the overall effects of cold weather. Plants that are fed with potash-rich fertilizer tend to develop stronger roots and display an increased resistance to spring or fall frost, which can cause a great deal of damage to crops that don't have potash in the equation. Another area where potash plays an important role is with water intake. Potash helps to preserve the water levels in the cells of the plants, making them more resistant to drought. This factor is crucial in regions that get little rain and depend on crop survival to feed a large portion of the population.

Basically, the overall quality of individual crops is improved when fertilizer rich in potash is used to feed them. Potash helps to increase the protein levels in wheat, rice, barley and in the seeds of pulse crops. In sugar beet and sugar cane crops, the sucrose levels are increased by potash in the fertilizer. The starch levels in rice grains, corn and potatoes are also improved and increased by the inclusion of potash in fertilizer.

Potash generally helps to improve the levels of vitamin B1 and C, the carotene and sugars in berries and fruit, which improve the taste and color. Potash works to make the fibers in flax and cotton stronger and longer, and even helps after the plants have been harvested by reducing damage during transportation. Virtually every step of the growing process is enhanced by using a fertilizer that's rich in the mineral potash, as a truly healthy crop isn't possible without it.




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