Magnesium - the forgotten element?

There were no obvious differences in growth between Mg treated and control plots

Magnesium (Mg) is essential to plants. It is strongly involved in photosynthesis and transporting carbohydrates from leaves to roots, which is particularly important for tuber development. Yet, it may be overlooked within fertiliser programs focused on N, P and K.

Getting Mg right is important to maximise yield, firmness and starch content of potatoes. Increases in starch accumulation improve specific gravity, which has direct financial benefits to processing growers.

In PotatoLink magazine Issue 04, Marc Hinderager discusses the trial of magnesium on potato plants at the Canowindra demo site. One thing became clear - magnesium should not be forgotten as it is essential to both yield and quality of potato crops.