Webinar: Making the Most of Secondary Macros to Improve Potato Yield

Across all crops, N, P, and K receive a great deal of fanfare for their broad role in promoting crop growth and yield. But in more specialized crops, like potatoes, quality is a factor of equal or greater importance to total yield. In potatoes, secondary macronutrients (S, Ca, and Mg) play a central role in optimizing production. Thanks in part to their contributions to specific growth and physiological processes, secondary macronutrients can be more limiting, impacting both yield and quality.

Due to the importance of ensuring proper timing of nutrient availability for secondary macronutrients, selecting the right nutrient source is essential for optimizing yield, quality, and return on investment to the grower. Specifically, solubility and nutrient release rate over time. Polyhalite⁠—a naturally occurring mineral⁠—has emerged as an innovative nutrient solution. Providing a gradual release of S, Ca, and Mg, it also contributes a low chloride source of K. This webinar digs into the importance of secondary macronutrients in potato production and reviews North American trials of polyhalite as a component of a complete potato fertility program. 

This webinar was moderated by Spudman managing editor Zeke Jennings and hosted by ICL with speakers, Rob Schafer, Mid-Michigan Agronomy, Dr. Jason Haegele, ICL Growing Solutions North American Agronomy Lead, and Christi Falen, ICLGrowing Solutions Agronomy Technical Services Manager.