Feritlizer and Yield Potential

[lakenheath77]

Has anyone heard about the effects of adding potash to a fertilizer blend for wheat and durum production. If so, what has been the crop rield response to this element?

[vzvalo]

Potash is part of most fertilizer mixes used for cereal crops. Yield respond to potash depends on many factors which potash soil levels is one of the most important. Durum wheat benefit from additional Nitrogen which is built into desirable proteins.

[shamus]

I farm between Saskatoon and Regina and soil tests show high Potash but I believe not necessarily available to the plant. Since I started using potash 3 years ago my lodging problem in cereals has seemed to have pretty much disappeared. Coincedence , I can't be sure; but I wouldn't go without it again. And cheap too. Shamus

[flaten]

Potash fertilizer can be beneficial given the right conditions. Potash is potassium chloride so there are two nutrients you may get a response to. If your soil test shows deficiency in potassium you will probably get a response from adding potassium in the form of potash. If your soil test shows marginal potassium levels, it's a little more hit and miss whether you will get a yield response. There's a debate going on in the soils discipline regarding availability of potassium versus soil test levels. This debate hasn't been concluded yet! Also as mentioned earlier in this thread, there can be a anti-lodging effect from potash. However, you could also try varieties of grain that are more resistant to lodging as an alternative. On the chloride side of things, it is very hard to predict chloride yield responses. Chloride responses vary greatly between varieties of wheat and barley so it's a hit and miss scenario. The general recommendation is that the critical levels of chloride that you should have in your soil is 30 to 60 lb/acre in the top 24". Chloride responses are mainly from disease control such as root rots.

Soil tests will give you a rough idea if you could get a response from potash (more so for potassium than chloride) however I strongly recommend trying some test strips on fields to see if it pays on your own farm....Brent Flaten, Soil Management Specialist, Alberta Agriculture, Food & Rural Development.