Abstract. Like nitrogen and phosphorus, potassium is major nutrition`s element contributing to large, steady and high quality crops. In combinations, potassium is widely spread both in the earth crust and in living organisms, more in plants, less in animals. Justus von Liebig was first to asses the importance of potassium in plants in the year 1840; Sidney Ringer did the same in animal species in 1888. In the soil potassium takes form which are partialy soluble and less accesible to plants but also forms which are soluble in water and easy for plants to reach to. The relation between these forms depens on the nature of the clay mineral, the clay percentage, the soil pH. Potassium is indinspensible in the life of plants. It has multiple role which is influenced by the interaction between the plant, the soil and the climatic condition, this is why decoding the specific work mechanism is so difficult. In human body, potassium is one of the most important minerals. It is the one of the main electrolytes alongside sodium and chlorine. Potassium is important in the normal development and growing of the muscles and because of his esential in the functioning of the nervous and cardiovascular systems and can be easily eliminated in diuretic therapies, daily potassium intake are neccesary.

Key words: potassium, nutrition, soil, plant, human

Presentation: oral