Shortage of good or even medium quality water for crop irrigation is quickly becoming a major constraint to the ever-growing pursuit after agricultural production increase, much needed for feeding the multiplying population of our planet. Both components of potassium nitrate have been found by numerous researches to have a marked influence on the proper functioning of higher plants and optimizing their performances. Potassium, by being involved in the physiology of over 60 different enzymes, is directly involved in the water management of the plant by maintaining turgor, reducing water loss and wilting and improving drought tolerance. Nitrate has been shown during decades to competently and directly promote water use efficiency as compared to the ammonium form of nitrogen.
Application of potassium nitrate and its derivatives, by either nutrigation or by foliar spray, has directly enhanced fruit mass and quality of numerous crops, while irrigation rate was kept unchanged.