SOON after I started my Extension career, I was speaking with one of my colleagues about nutrient management in vineyards, and he said, "Many growers worry too much about nitrogen, and not enough about potassium." This wasn't to say that growers didn't think about potassium at all, but that they needed to focus less on vines' nitrogen needs and more on how important potassium is in developing a healthy crop. Potassium (K) is involved in many functions of the plant, but one of its most important onesis to help compounds and ions move across cell membranes. For example, it is used to help move sugars produced in the leaves into the phloem, and from the phloem into the berries. And, vines that are deficient in potassium may also be more susceptible to winter injury.
展开▼
