Chlorine (chloride) guide
Chlorine, taken up as chloride, is a micronutrient the crop needs for its water balance, for opening and closing stomata and for...
Read the full guideChloride-sensitive crops: when muriate of potash is a problem
Which crops are sensitive to chloride, when muriate of potash can lower quality, and when sulphate of potash is the better choice.
Muriate of potash supplies potassium and chloride. Most crops handle the chloride well, and some, like coconut, benefit from it. But chloride-sensitive crops such as tobacco, grapes, some citrus and potato grown for processing can lose quality, especially on saline water. For these, sulphate of potash supplies potassium without chloride.
By Gafar Laiya and the Gujarat Bio Organics team. Updated November 2026.
Sensitive crops
- Tobacco: leaf burning quality.
- Potato for chips and processing: dry matter and quality.
- Grapes and citrus: leaf edge burn on saline water.
- Strawberry, beans and some vegetables.
Crops that tolerate or benefit
- Coconut and oil palm.
- Sugarcane, cereals and cotton in most soils.
- Beet and some leafy vegetables.
How to decide
- Test your irrigation water and soil for salinity.
- For sensitive crops on saline water, prefer sulphate of potash.
- Keep total salt input in mind when fertigating.
Read more
Doses depend on the crop, soil and product, so this page gives methods, not amounts. Take the dose from your soil test report, the product label or your local agriculture officer or KVK. Results differ from farm to farm with soil, weather, crop and management. Farmer experiences on this site are their own reports, not a promise of results.
Read next
Chloride deficiency and toxicity: how to tell them apart
Why chloride shortage is rare but chloride excess from saline water is common, what each looks like, and what to do in each case.
Read the full guideHow Gujarat Bio Organics can help
Since 2006, lakhs of farmers from Kashmir to Kanyakumari have used Immunity products on almost every crop: from the mango farms around Somnath to the apple orchards of Himachal Pradesh and Kashmir, the tea estates of Assam and Darjeeling, and the banana, coconut and cardamom farms of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala. Each Special is one formula made for one crop and its common problems. Tell us your crop, soil test and what you see, and our team will tell you what to check, whether a micronutrient correction is needed, and which Special fits your programme.
- Coconut guide and Immunity Coconut Special
- Potato guide and Immunity Potato Special
- Citrus guide and Immunity Citrus Special
- Pomegranate guide and Immunity Pomegranate Special
Results differ from farm to farm with soil, weather, crop and management. Farmer experiences on this site are their own reports, not a promise of results.
Questions
Is sulphate of potash better than muriate of potash?
Not for every crop. It avoids chloride, which matters for sensitive crops and saline conditions. For many crops muriate of potash is fine and cheaper.
Does coconut need chloride?
Coconut is one of the crops known to respond to chloride, which muriate of potash supplies.