Potassium and winter hardiness
The role of Potassium in metabolic processes such as protein synthesis and the movement of sugars within the plant is now well understood and recognised as crucial for maximising quality and yield. But it is now known Potassium also plays a significant role in helping crops resist disease and environmental stresses during winter dormancy and ensuring optimum supplies of Potassium to see crops through the winter months should not be overlooked.
Potassium is an essential nutrient for water regulation and maintaining cell wall strength and therefore plays a key role in promoting resistance to frost damage and disease pressure.
Preventing Frost Damage
Efficient water regulation is just as important in freezing conditions as it is in hot dry conditions, as it helps limit water loss when the plant cannot absorb sufficient water from the roots. Adequate levels of Potassium and sugars in plant cells also help lower the cell sap’s freezing point, acting as an ‘anti-freeze’ agent to prevent frost damage and limit winter kill.
Increasing Disease Resistance
Availability of Potassium is also important for supporting the plants natural resistance to disease, firstly through its role in activating enzymes involved in strong crop growth and development limiting the effects of invasive diseases and secondly through the synthesis of cellulose. A lack of potassium will reduce cellulose production, a key component of cell walls. Plants need to maintain cell wall thickness to provide a physical barrier to pests and pathogens and limit the threat of infection. Potassium deficiencies can therefore lead to increased disease susceptibility.
Factors Affecting Availability
Although Potassium ions (K+) are highly soluble and have good mobility in moist soil conditions, plant availability can be limited in soils that are dry or compacted. Availability is also influenced by soil type and soil chemistry. Low clay content and sandy soils restrict levels of extractable Potassium and imbalanced levels of other elements such as Calcium and Magnesium can also limit availability and uptake by the crop.
Foliar Application of Potassium
Foliar applications can therefore be an option to supplement Potassium in periods of high demand or with antagonistic soil conditions. Applications to autumn sown cereals prior to winter dormancy will provide a useful input of available Potassium needed to promote winter hardiness.
Foliar Formulations for Winter Hardiness
Foliar phosphites Crop Rooter(r)P and OilSeed Raiser have been formulated to aid a healthy plant establishment and improve winter hardiness. Each combines the biostimulating action of phosphites to promote the development of deeper root systems alongside specific nutrients including beneficial levels of Potassium to maintain healthy growth and boost winter resilience.
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