In India, brassicas - such as cauliflower and cabbage - are a significant part of peoples’ diet and important cash crops for many farmers. Recent research by two Indian scientists has proved that polyhalite (commercially known as Polysulphate) provides the needed nutrients for brassicas to flourish.
It is widely understood by agronomists that sulphur is an essential plant nutrient, associated with high yield and good quality, particularly in brassicas. As one of the main nutrients in polyhalite, this natural fertilizer consisting of hydrated sulphate of potassium (K), calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg), it is bound to be good for growth. But this latest research in India set out to test the bioefficacy of polyhalite (commercially known as Polysulphate) on the performance of two major Brassica oleracea crops: cauliflower and cabbage.
Polysulphate pushes production up
G.C. Satisha and A.N. Ganeshamurthy, Principal Scientists with the ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticultural Research
have published their findings on polyhalite, which confirmed polyhalite’s bioefficacy on the performance of two major Indian Brassica oleracea crops: cauliflower and cabbage.
The scientists found that sulphur application significantly increased yield and quality (head/curd diameter and compactness at harvest) of the two crops. According to the research: “The highest yields of cabbage and cauliflower, 32.8% and 39.5% more than the control, respectively, were obtained with 100% and 75% of the recommended N-P-K and S doses, respectively, delivered through polyhalite.”
Understanding interconnected plant nutrition
Whilst it is useful to focus on one plant nutrient, such as sulphur, it is also important to recognise the important and productive inter-relationship between all polyhalite nutrients. As the Indian research report reveals, the potassium in polyhalite enhanced sulphur uptake, while in turn, the sulphur appeared to promote phosphorus and calcium uptake.
With polyhalite, the efficacy of this naturally-occurring, mined fertilizer is more than the sum of its parts. This is why Polysulphate is proving to be such a powerful fertilizer producing remarkable results, whether for Brassicas or other crops.
