Evaluation of Polyhalite for Its Nutrient Availability and Accumulation in Rice, Sesame, Peanut and Sugarcane.

Plants need nutrient rich diet for sustained yields and for contributing to healthy life of human and animals. In this context, balanced fertilization that dictates effective uptake of nutrients by plants assumes significance. Potassium is a major plant nutrient that regulates metabolism, helps in protein building, photosynthesis, quality of produce and in imparting disease resistance. Our study evaluated Polyhalite (K₂SO₄.MgSO₄.2CaSO₄.2H₂O), a multi-nutrient potash based mineral, as an alternative or complementary to other conventional fertilizers such as KCl (MOP), K₂SO₄ (SOP), MgSO₄ (Kieserite), K₂SO₄.2MgSO₄ (SOPM), and CaSO₄ (Gypsum) for accumulation of nutrients in rice, sesame, peanut and sugarcane. Greenhouse studies were taken up in Andhra Pradesh, India in pots filled with low potassic soils comparing 10 treatments with six replications. Crop biomass, nutrient composition and uptake were recorded at different growth stages. Data is being collected and will be analyzed. These findings offer scope for application of polyhalite in test crops for enhancing quality and imparting disease resistance.