Potassium nitrate for wheat: the foliar application effect

A field trial conducted in Italy showed the significant role of foliar applied potassium nitrate in increasing wheat yield and the number of years

The field trial, ordered by PNA (Potassium Nitrate Association), was conducted in 2013 by Adriano Altissimo at LANDLAB research station in Italy. 

The trial tested the effect of two foliar applications of potassium nitrate on winter wheat, fertilized with KCl as base dressing fertilization, with respectively 0%, 50%, 75% and 100% of the supposed K removal based on the expected yield of 6,5-7,0 mt/ha. Each of the 4 K level treatment was tested with foliar application of potassium nitrate and without it. 

The results were clear-cut: the additive foliar applied potassium nitrate resulted in higher yields for the entries treated two times with 10 kg/ha of potassium nitrate (8,3 MT/ha) vs the untreated entries (7,4 MT/ha). Also, the foliar application resulted in increased number of ears, in comparison with the untreated wheat (921 ears/sqm and 799 ears/sqm, respectively). In addition, the foliar applied K was shown to be efficient over any level of base dressing K. 

The study once again confirmed the role of potassium nitrate in increasing wheat yield, once applied as a foliar fertilizer in key moment of the crop cycle. 

Click here to read the full field trial report: https://bit.ly/3rQ1j91