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Copy link Polysulphate Pushes Up Black Pepper Yield in Vietnam
Polysulphate's balance of nutrients strengthens pepper vines against mealybug attacks, and significantly improves yield and quality.
Pepper production in Vietnam is shown to be greatly helped with Polysulphate fertilizer which improves vine health, makes plants more resistant to pest attack, and increases yield and quality.
Vietnamese Black Pepper Production Challenges
Pepper consumption worldwide has risen by 60% in the last decade and the fastest increase is in the Far East where demand has risen by 200% in 10 years. Vietnam has emerged as a major pepper producer. However, many Vietnamese farmers are struggling to maintain quality. Precise crop nutrition and disease are becoming major limiting factors.
Proving the Benefits of Polysulphate to Pepper
Research carried out by the Soils and Fertilizer Research Institute and the Central Highland Soils and Fertilizers Research Centre in Vietnam, supported by the International Potash Institute (IPI), found that inadequate nutrition leads to plant deterioration and susceptibility to disease and insect pest attack.
By replacing the conventional fertilizer strategy with bi-monthly applications of Polysulphate, the supply of potassium was greatly improved. The accompanying calcium, magnesium, and sulfur contained in this natural mineral fertilizer also had significant beneficial effects on the pepper vines.
Getting Black Pepper Production Back on Track
Trialing the alternative fertilizer strategy across the pepper-growing areas of the Central Highlands of Vietnam gives a blueprint to follow for many other farmers in Vietnam and other pepper-growing parts of the world.
The balance of essential nutrients in Polysulphate strengthened the black pepper vines against mealybug attacks, supported better crop performance, and significantly improved yield and quality, which resulted in higher profits for the farmers.
The essential nutrients in Polysulphate strengthen black pepper vines in Vietnam.
References
The full paper Polyhalite Effects on Black Pepper (Piper nigrum L.) Yield and Quality in the Central Highlands of Vietnam is published in e-ifc No. 54 by the International Potash Institute.
