POTASSIUM FERTILIZATION AND FRUIT PRODUCTION OF PAGE CITRUS ON A PUNSIRUS ROOTSTOCK: QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE TRAITS

• Published in: Journal of plant nutrition Vol. 33; no. 10; pp. 1564 - 1578
• Main Authors: Ashkevari, A., Zadeh, S. H. Hossein, Miransari, M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Philadelphia, NJ Taylor & Francis Group 28.06.2010; Taylor & Francis; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Biological and medical sciences; citrus fruit; Citrus fruits; Economic plant physiology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General agronomy. Plant production; k fertilizer; Metabolism; Metabolism. Physicochemical requirements; Nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium fertilizations; Nutrition. Photosynthesis. Respiration. Metabolism; optimum rates; Plant physiology and development; Potassium fertilization; quantitative traits; Soil-plant relationships. Soil fertility. Fertilization. Amendments; quantitative traits; Fruit; Potassium fertilization; Citrus fruit; Rutaceae; optimum rates; Rootstock; Citrus; Optimum; Potash fertilizer; Plant nutrition; k fertilizer; Dicotyledones; Angiospermae; Production; Qualitative trait; Spermatophyta
• ISSN: 0190-4167; 1532-4087
• DOI: 10.1080/01904167.2010.490075

Determination of optimum rates of potassium (K) for high citrus production with great qualitative traits is of both agricultural and economical significance, particularly when performing long-term experiments. A five-year field experiment was conducted in the Citrus Research Center of Tonekabon, Iran in a silty clay loam. The objectives were to: 1) to apply different rates of K fertilizer and determine the optimum rates for citrus high production, and 2) to evaluate the effects of K fertilization on the fruit quantitative and qualitative traits for the production of tasty and great quality fruits for fresh or long consumption. Fifteen-year citrus trees were fertilized with five rates of potassium at control, 750, 1500, 2250 and 3000 g tree −1 on the basis of a completely randomized block design in five replicates. Fruit parameters were determined. Potassium significantly increased fruit yield and qualitative traits at the optimum amount of 1500 g tree −1 .