Potato production in Michigan and the broader Midwest requires careful nutrient management due to the region’s sandy soils, variable rainfall, and disease pressure. Potatoes have high macronutrient demands—particularly for nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, sulfur, and calcium—and balanced fertilization is essential for achieving strong yields and tuber quality. Studies show that optimized nutrient programs significantly influence potato yield formation, tuber size, uniformity, and resilience to stress, with potassium and magnesium playing central roles in photosynthesis, energy transfer, nutrient transport, and water regulation.
Among these nutrients, potassium stands out for its impact on physiological development, water use efficiency, and disease tolerance. Potatoes remove more potassium than any other nutrient, with functions ranging from enzyme activation to improved nitrogen utilization. Adequate potassium levels promote drought tolerance and enhance resistance against various potato diseases by strengthening cellular functions and improving overall plant vigor. Common symptoms of potassium deficiency—such as interveinal chlorosis and marginal scorch—underscore the importance of consistent, season‑long potassium availability. Potassium thiosulfate, in particular, provides a readily available, low-salt form of potassium and sulfur that improves nitrogen use efficiency, enhances drought resistance, and supports overall plant health—important benefits for Midwest potato growers managing variable seasonal moisture.
Magnesium also plays a key role in potato nutrition, especially in chlorophyll production and energy transfer within plant cells. Multi-nutrient fertilizers that include magnesium have demonstrated measurable improvements in tuber uniformity, nitrogen-use efficiency, and total yield across North American field trials, including in Michigan. Magnesium-containing sulfate fertilizers demonstrate benefits for root development, nutrient uptake, and plant resilience.
In addition to nutrient demands, potato growers in Michigan must manage late blight and early blight—diseases favored by the region’s humid conditions and irrigation‑dependent production systems. Although potassium and magnesium fertilization do not directly prevent blight, strong plant nutrition enhances structural integrity, stress tolerance, and immune responses, reducing disease severity when infections occur. Research on potato nutrient management in the upper Midwest emphasizes that healthy root systems, adequate potassium, and balanced nutrient programs improve overall plant health and help mitigate the effects of soilborne and foliar diseases. When coupled with integrated pest management strategies—including resistant varieties, timely fungicide applications, and environmental monitoring—a sound nutrition program becomes a critical component in blight management.
As Michigan and Midwest growers adapt to changing climate patterns, heavier rainfall events, and evolving disease pressures, fertilizers such as potassium thiosulfate and magnesium‑rich sulfate blends provide strategic advantages. Their low‑salt index, improved nutrient efficiency, and compatibility with fertigation and foliar-feeding programs support strong plant health from emergence through tuber bulking. With continued research and adoption of balanced nutrient strategies, growers can improve potato yield, quality, and resilience across the region’s diverse production systems.
MTS= ™ Key benefits:
- Highly plant-available magnesium & sulfur — thiosulfate form is soluble and taken up efficiently by roots and leaves.
- Chloride-free formulation, which is easier on soils and plants versus chloride sources.
- Enhances nutrient uptake & mobility — supports movement of P and other nutrients within the plant.
- Supports chlorophyll production and carbohydrate synthesis — important for photosynthesis and growth.
- Suitable for sands, low-CEC soils, and high Ca/Mg imbalance — conditions where Mg frequently becomes limiting.
- Compatible with many irrigation systems, blends with broad liquid fertility programs (just test blend compatibility first).
For more information on MTS, visit Hydrite's website here.
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