Summary:
Surat: Fertilizers with high potassium content in farms located in areas that are chronically short of water can help increase paddy yield. Ireland and Belgium produce three times more yield of paddy compared to countries in South Asia because the fertilizers farmers there use have high potassium content, an essential plant nutrient , says a research report. We need to have higher potassium content in fertilizers to increase the yield which has got reduced in the past few years,” Dr Kirti Bardhan said.“Application of higher doses of potassium through fertilizers will substantially nullify the negative effects of water stress at mild water stress condition. Developing countries in general have a less balanced NK ratio in fertilizer use than the developed countries. With higher amount of potassium in fertilizers, rice seedling roots are able to maintain narrow root top and bottom angle under moisture stress which help the plant to explore a wider surface area for water and nutrients,” he added.Soil in Gujarat is receptive to fertilizers with high potassium content except for sandy and hilly areas, Dr Bardhan said, adding that there is need to refine fertilizer doses with inclusion of potassic fertilizers during farming.He said nitrogen potassium (NK) ratio in global fertilizer use has deteriorated in the last 20 years to become unbalanced..