Investment

This project aims to support growers in the Wests Midlands region to understand potassium (K) cycling across their system and determine their farm's K budget.

Growers in the West Midlands region have identified potassium (K) deficiency as an ongoing constraint limiting yield potential in sandy soils. While growers agree that replacement potassium was likely being underapplied over the years, the majority also thought potassium needed further research, mainly around 'response by soil types' and 'application rates' and ' the ability of some plants to recycle K from depth'. Growers especially wanted to know when additional K may profitably benefit the crop in terms of 'timing and method of application'.

Fertiliser supplier trials typically indicate low levels of K in many of our soil profiles at 0-30cm, with responses to K application. This project explores potential yield loss that is not evident due to a nutrient throttle on production.