Potash is a generic term that refers to a group of potassium-bearing minerals, naturally occurring potassium salts and the products produced from those salts.
Potash is a plant's main source of potassium. Potassium ("K") is one of the four primary nutrients required for plant growth. The remaining three nutrients are Nitrogen ("N"), Phosphate ("P") and Sulphur ("S"). Potash is used in fertilizers and applied through the soil for uptake by plant roots.
SULPHATE OF POTASH – PREMIUM QUALITY POTASH
| Suphate of Potash (SOP) |
Muriate of Potash (MOP) |
| Potassium Sulphate (K2SO4) |
Potassium Chloride (KCI) |
- 6 million tonnes sold in 2011
|
- 55.7 million tonnes sold in 2011
|
- Potassium and sulphur are essential nutrients
|
- Crop quality/yield diminish as chloride builds up
|
- Improves yield, quantity, taste and enhances shelf life
|
|
Muriate of Potash (MOP) which is also known as Potassium Chloride (KCI) is widely used in all types of farming but contains a chloride ion that can be detrimental towards plant growth, especially fruits and vegetables. If the chloride content isn't managed, it can lead to low quality crops and inhibit place growth in dry soils and saline areas. MOP is the most commonly used and has a global market size of approximately 55 million tonnes/year.
USING A PRIMARY PRODUCTION METHOD
| Chloride Tolerance of Various Crops |
| Tolerance |
Crop Type |
Recommended Product |
| Chloride-loving |
Sugar beet, fodder beet, celery, Swiss chard, coconut |
Muriate of Potash (MOP) |
Chloride tolerant
|
Cereals, maize, oilseed rape, asparagus, cabbage, beetroot, rhubard Grassland, clover, oil palm, rubber, rice, groundnut, cassava, soybean, sugar cane, banana, cotton |
Muriate of Potash (MOP) |
| Partly chloride tolerant |
Sunflowers, grape vines, stone fruits, blackcurrants, seed potatoes, potatoes for human consumption, tomatoes, radish, kohirabi, peas, spinach, carrots, leek, horse-radish, chicory, pineapple, cucumber, kiwifruit, cofee, tea |
Sulphate of Potash (SOP) |
| Chloride sensitive |
Starch potatoes, potatoes for processing, tobacco, redcurrants, gooseberry, raspberry, strawberry, blackberry, blueberry, mango, citrus, pepper, chilli, avocado, cashew, almond, peach, cocoa, hops, pomes and stone fruits (especialy cherries), bush beans, broad beans, cucumber, melon, onion, lettuce, early vegetables, all crops under glass, conifers, flowers and ornaments as well as seedlings and transplants of most plants |
Sulphate of Potash (SOP) |
Source: K&S Kali GmbH