Potassium nitrate in fertigated almonds: a new market
As the person responsible for business development, I have always been involved in developing new markets for existing fertilizers. It can be useful to compare fertilisation programmes from different countries for a particular crop. Are there significant differences between the countries and what is the reason for this? Can the fertilization program be copied from one cultivation area to another in order to develop a new market for certain fertilizers? The answer to these questions is given in the following example.
Comparison of fertigation programs in the cultivation of almonds in Australia with those of the United States of America
In the cultivation of almonds in Australia, potassium nitrate was the main potassium fertilizer in the fertigation program. This was because when the fertigation technique was introduced in almond in the 1990s, a foreign professor and expert in fertigation had said that potassium nitrate should be used as the main potassium fertilizer in the fertigation program. The almond growers in Australia then followed this advice en masse. Thus, potassium nitrate has remained the main potassium fertilizer in almond fertigation in Australia to date.
In California (USA), almonds are also grown with the application of water and fertilizers via fertigation. However, here potassium thiosulfate is the main potassium fertilizer. Until then, potassium nitrate had not been used at all in fertigation. Why not? Out of tradition and custom. Their fathers were already using potassium thiosulfate. They didn’t even know about the existence of potassium nitrate.
Research program with different potassium fertilizers by UC Davis
In collaboration with experts in the field of almond fertilization at the University of California at Davis, a multi-year study in almonds was designed to compare different fertilizers and fertilization programs.
Almond with microsprinkler fertigation.
With potassium nitrate, higher yield, better quality and nitrogen efficiency in almonds than with potassium thiosulphate in the fertigation program
The study found that a nutrient solution that also contains potassium nitrate, administered via microsprinkler irrigation, led to:
- a higher crop yield
- a larger nut fill
- and improved nitrogen efficiency (thus reducing the risk of nitrogen leaching into the environment)
compared to a nutrient solution containing potassium thiosulfate.
This application of potassium nitrate ultimately resulted in a higher net income for the almond grower.
Fertigated almond cultivation is a growing market for potassium nitrate in California
This research has led to potassium nitrate being increasingly used in fertigation of almonds in California. For example, of all fertigated crops in which potassium nitrate is used, fertigated almond cultivation has become a significant consumer of potassium nitrate in the US.
Reference
Patrick Brown, Andres Olivos and Blake Sanden. 2016. Influence of fertigation strategy. Plant nutrition and productivity in almonds. In: Pacific Nut Producer, May 2016. PP 44-50.
Looking for support?
Are you looking for support in market development as a business growth strategy for one or more water-soluble fertilizers? Please contact Harmen Tjalling Holwerda of HSPN Consulting.
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