All chernozem soils of Ukraine contain a sufficiently large total potassium reserve of 2.1–2.9%, but the main part of it is in the potential reserve, which is inaccessible to plants, but can be removed from the soil under certain conditions.

Potassium in the soil is represented by various minerals and salts. The content of total potassium in the soil depends on its mineralogical composition. Thanks to biological and chemical processes, the process of decay of primary and formation of secondary minerals takes place in the soil. With the weathering of these minerals, potassium enters the solution. But this process takes place very slowly. Therefore, in order to sufficiently provide plants with this element, it is necessary to create conditions for accelerating the release of potassium from non-exchangeable forms. Such conditions provide soil protection technologies, changing the acidity of the soil solution.