International Potash Institute Conducts Webinar on Enhancing Yield and Quality of Vegetables with Polyhalite Fertilizer

International Potash Institute (IPI), conducted a live discussion on Krishi Jagran’s Facebook page about the benefits of wonderful fertilizer POLYHALITE, for its effects on the production quality and yield of vegetables in India.

The panel of the discussion consisted of Dr. Adi Perelman, Coordinator of India, International Potash Institute and Dr. P.P Mahendran, Soil Scientist, Crop Management Agriculture College and Research Institute of Tamil Nadu.

Tamil Nadu Agriculture University conducted a study in collaboration with the International Potash Institute on the effects of Multinutrient Fertilizer – Polyhalite for enhancing growth, yield and quality of vegetables in low base status soils.

Dr. Mahendran beautifully explained the importance of Polyhalite for Indian conditions. India is essentially an agrarian country and agriculture is the most critical sector in Indian Economy. We need to feed our ever increasing population and for that we need to improve the productivity.

You can find this session on the official Facebook page of  Krishi Jagran.  

About Polyhalite:

It is extracted over 1200m below the Earth’s surface, under the sea, along England’s north-eastern coast from Polyhalite layer of rock, deposited 260 million years ago. It caters to the need and deficiency of Sulphur, Potassium, Magnesium and Calcium in the soil.  

Polyhalite is not a mixture of salts but a single crystal, so all its constituents release into solution proportionally. However, after solubilization each nutrient interacts with the soil differently and is affected by soil properties. 

Composition of Polyhalite: 

• 46% SO₃ sulphur source  and improves the efficacy of other nutrients (e.g. N and P) 

• 13.5 % K₂O helps in improving overall plant health. 

• 5.5 % MgO Essential for Photosynthesis 

• 16.5 % CaO important for cell division and strong cell walls 

 Benefits of using Polyhalite: 

• Prolonged release of nutrients so that the nutrients are not lost by leaching and it matches the uptake by the crop along the crop cycle. 

• It is completely natural, mined, crushed, screened and bagged, hence equally good to use in organic farming too.

• It is low chloride fertilizer good to use in chloride sensitive crops and its low carbon footprint, makes it environment friendly. 

About the Research

This Research was conducted to test the effects of the use of Polyhalite for enhancing growth, yield and quality of vegetables in low base status soils. The study consists of 5 trials on three major crops; Tomato, Onion, and Cluster beans.

2 field experiments were conducted on Tomato and Onion at different locations the results were recorded over 2 years. Another field experiment was conducted on cluster beans.

Results of the Field Experiments on Tomato:

• The effect of graded levels and sources of potassium and secondary nutrients on the Plant height, Number of branches, number of flowers per cluster and yield of tomato plant were studied.

• Polyhalite @315 kg K₂0/ha significantly influenced the growth and flowering characters

• Yield attributes of tomato like number of fruits per plant, individual fruit weight, fruit diameter and fruit length of tomato was favorably influenced by Polyhalite.

• Polyhalite is highly effective in enhancing lycopene and ascorbic acid contents of tomato fruits.

Results of the study on Small onion plants:

• Application of K through Polyhalite (60 kg K₂O/ha) recorded the highest growth, yield attributes and bulb yield of onion.

Results of the study on Cluster beans:

• In cluster beans Polyhalite application (25 kg K₂O/ha) enhanced the number of branches, number of cluster/plant number of pods/plant and pod yield.

Conclusion:

The Application of K and secondary nutrients through Polyhalite remarkably increased the growth and yield attributes, yield and quality of onion,  tomato and cluster beans. Polyhalite is highly useful in maintaining the soil health more particularly soil fertility.