Potassium Nitrate & Plants
Plants need a number of essential nutrients to thrive and potassium nitrate is a mixture of both potassium and nitrogen, two of these essential nutrients. Because plants take so much of these nutrients from the soil, extra potassium and nitrogen may need to be added back to the soil in the form of potassium nitrate fertilizer. Does this Spark an idea?
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Significance
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Potassium hydroxide and ammonium nitrate are combined together to create potassium nitrate. This mixture contains both potassium and nitrogen, which are necessary for plant development and growth.
Function
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According to Stanford University, potassium is necessary for proper photosynthesis, which is how plants convert light into food energy. If there is not enough potassium, the plant will not be able to survive. Nitrogen is needed for the proper development and growth of plants, particularly the leaves. By providing a plant with potassium nitrate, both nutrients are given to the plant at the same time.
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Too Much
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Too much potassium nitrate can result in a plant not flowering, but may also result in an abundance of leafy growth. However, the extra growth is not stable or strong. In crops, too much potassium nitrate can result in skewed sugar and starch ratios that affect the taste of the plant.
Too Little
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Too little potassium nitrate in a plant's soil can result in spotted or yellowish-looking leaves. Potassium keeps the leaves and stems sturdy while helping them resist disease and pests. Unhealthy-looking leaves are one of the first signs of a potassium deficiency. Potassium also helps the plant resist droughts. A nitrogen deficiency will result in spotty and yellowish leaves. A plant that is not given enough potassium nitrate will have poor leaf quality and not be able to take in water or sunlight energy properly.
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References
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- Photo Credit Plant image by Hedgehog from Fotolia.com
