Abstract
Potassium (K) is the most abundant cation in the vast majority of plants. It is required in large quantities which, in an agronomic context, typically necessitates application of K in the form of potash or other K fertilisers. Recently, the price of K fertiliser has risen dramatically, a situation that is paralleled by increasing K deficiency of soils around the globe. A potential solution to this problem is to reduce crop K fertiliser dependency by replacing it with sodium (Na) fertiliser which carries a much smaller price tag. In this paper we discuss the physiological roles of K and Na and the implications of Na fertilisation for crop cultivation and soil management. By using greenhouse growth assays we show distinct growth promotion after Na fertilisation in wheat, tomato, oilseed and sorghum. Our results also show that up to 60% of tissue K can be substituted by Na without growth penalty. Based on these data, simple economic models suggest that (part) replacement of K fertiliser with Na fertiliser leads to considerable savings.
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Claims 6
Claim · model-written summary
Sodium fertilisation promoted wheat growth in greenhouse growth assays.
- Taxon
- wheat
Triticum aestivume1 - Treatment
- Na fertilisatione1
- Outcome
- growthe1
- Direction
- promotione1
- Setting
- greenhouse growth assayse1
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e1“By using greenhouse growth assays we show distinct growth promotion after Na fertilisation in wheat, tomato, oilseed and sorghum”
e2“Potassium (K) is the most abundant cation in the vast majority of plants”
Claim · model-written summary
Sodium fertilisation promoted tomato growth in greenhouse growth assays.
- Taxon
- tomato
Solanum lycopersicume1 - Treatment
- Na fertilisatione1
- Outcome
- growthe1
- Direction
- promotione1
- Setting
- greenhouse growth assayse1
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e1“By using greenhouse growth assays we show distinct growth promotion after Na fertilisation in wheat, tomato, oilseed and sorghum”
e2“Potassium (K) is the most abundant cation in the vast majority of plants”
Claim · model-written summary
Sodium fertilisation promoted oilseed growth in greenhouse growth assays.
- Taxon
- oilseede1
- Treatment
- Na fertilisatione1
- Outcome
- growthe1
- Direction
- promotione1
- Setting
- greenhouse growth assayse1
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e1“By using greenhouse growth assays we show distinct growth promotion after Na fertilisation in wheat, tomato, oilseed and sorghum”
e2“Potassium (K) is the most abundant cation in the vast majority of plants”
Claim · model-written summary
Sodium fertilisation promoted sorghum growth in greenhouse growth assays.
SorghumNot reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e1“By using greenhouse growth assays we show distinct growth promotion after Na fertilisation in wheat, tomato, oilseed and sorghum”
e2“Potassium (K) is the most abundant cation in the vast majority of plants”
Claim · model-written summary
Up to 60% of tissue K in plants can be substituted by Na without growth penalty.
- Taxon
- plantsViridiplantaee2
- Treatment
- substituted by Nae1
- Outcome
- growth penaltye1
- Direction
- no_changeinferrede1
- Value
- 60%e1
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e1“Our results also show that up to 60% of tissue K can be substituted by Na without growth penalty”
e2“Potassium (K) is the most abundant cation in the vast majority of plants”
Claim · model-written summary
Partial replacement of K fertiliser with Na fertiliser is suggested by simple economic models to lead to considerable savings.
Verbatim
e1“Based on these data, simple economic models suggest that (part) replacement of K fertiliser with Na fertiliser leads to considerable savings”
e2“Potassium (K) is the most abundant cation in the vast majority of plants”
The same questions in other papers
fertilization · growth · SorghumResults differ
103 papers in the same direction as this paper · 16 in the opposite direction
- negative
- negative
- no effect
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566 papers in the same direction as this paper · 93 in the opposite direction · 8 reporting no difference from an alternative
- no effect
- negative
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See all 668 papers →fertilization · growth · Triticum aestivum (wheat)Positive and negative results
662 papers in the same direction as this paper · 89 in the opposite direction · 3 reporting no difference from an alternative
- no effect
- negative
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See all 755 papers →Claims are grouped by organism, treatment and what was measured or targeted. A paper counts as positive when any of its claims in the group is positive.