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Potassium nitrate is a chemical compound with the formula KNO3. It occurs as a mineral niter and is a natural solid source of nitrogen. Its common names include saltpeter and nitrate of potash. Major uses of potassium nitrate are in fertilizers, rocket propellants and fireworks. When used as a food additive in the European Union, the compound is referred to as E252. Potassium nitrate can be produced through various chemical reactions, including:

NH4NO3 (ammonium nitrate) + KCl (potash) -> NH4Cl (ammonium chloride) + KNO3

NH4NO3 + KOH (potassium hydroxide) -> NH3 (ammonia) + KNO3 + H2O

NaNO3 (sodium nitrate) + KCl -> NaCl (table salt) + KNO3

Potassium nitrate is mainly used in fertilizers, as a source of nitrogen and potassium, two of the macro nutrients for plants. Potassium nitrate is also one of the three components of black powder (gunpowder), along with powdered charcoal (substantially carbon) and sulfur, where it acts as an oxidizer. In the process of food preservation, potassium nitrate has been a common ingredient of salted meat since the Middle Ages, but its use has been mostly discontinued due to inconsistent results compared to more modern ni-trate and nitrite compounds. Even so, saltpeter is still used in some food applications, such as charcuterie and the brine used to make corned beef. Potassium nitrate is an ef-ficient oxidizer, which produces a lilac flame upon burning due to the presence of po-tassium. It is therefore used in amateur rocket propellants and in fireworks. It is also added to pre-rolled cigarettes to maintain an even burn of the tobacco.

Potassium nitrate is the main component (usually about 98%) of tree stump remover, as it accelerates the natural decomposition of the stump. It is also commonly used in the heat treatment of metals as a solvent in the post-wash. The oxidizing, water solubility and low cost make it an ideal short-term rust inhibitor. Potassium nitrate can also be found in some toothpastes for sensitive teeth. Recently, the use of potassium nitrate in toothpastes for treating sen-sitive teeth (dentine hypersensitivity) has increased dramatically, even though studies to this effect have been inconclusive. World population growth and its effects on the scarcity of water and increased competition on land use for living, industry, nature, and agriculture, increases the need of agriculture efficiency. The amount of land in agriculture per capita will further decrease in the future as world population is expected to grow faster than the growth of arable land. Therefore crop productivity has to increase in order to provide the same amount of food in relation to the growing world population. The growing importance of specialty plant nutrition products, such as potassium nitrate, has been driven by these factors as one of its main uses is for premium corps. Its global consumption has more than doubled over the past decades while the growth rates for other alternatives, such as commodity fertilizers, have been more moderate. Historical demand growth for specialty plant nutrition has averaged 5%.