Agricultural Fertilizers:

Potash

Potash (Muriate of Potash)

Most of the world's reserves of potash (K) were deposited as seawater from ancient inland oceans evaporated, and the K salts crystallized into beds of potash ore being mined today.

Fertilizer potash is applied to supply the K needs of growing crops. Some important functions of K in plants are: Increases root growth, Improves drought resistance, helps retard crop diseases, maintains cell turgor, reduces water loss and wilting, increases protein content, aids in photosynthesis, activates more than 60 enzyme systems, produces grain rich in starch, builds cellulose, and reduces lodging due to weak stalks.

Potash utilization and demand, as is the case with other agricultural fertilizers, is relative to the world population demand for increased sustainability of food production. 90% - 95% of potash is used in agriculture as fertilizer. Canada is a major producer of agricultural potash fertilizer.