Abstract
K (K) is of paramount importance for apple (Malus × domestica Borkh.), not only for tree growth and development but also for the size and quality of fruit yield. The apple plant’s demand for K varies, along with the progression of phenological phases, during the growing season. The K demand peaks during ripening of fruits featuring relatively high concentration of K comparable to that of the leaves. The mainstream method of apple tree K fertilization is through application of the fertilizer to the soils to improve K uptake by the roots. The bioavailability of K depends on assorted various factors, including pH, interaction with other nutrients in soil solution, temperature, and humidity. An important role in making the K from soil available for uptake by plants is played by plant growth-promoting microorganisms (PGPM), and the specific role of the PGPM is discussed. Advantages of fertigation (the combination of irrigation and fertilization) as an approach include allowing to balance application rate of K fertilizer against its variable demand by plants during the growing season. Excess K in the soil leads to competitive inhibition of calcium uptake by plants. The K-dependent deficiency of Ca leads to its predominant channeling to the leaves and hence to its decline in fruits. Consequently, the apple fruits affected by the K/Ca imbalance frequently develop physiological disorders in storage. This emphasizes the importance of the balanced K application, especially during the last months of the growing season, depending on the crop load and the actual K demand. The potential use of modern approaches to automated crop load estimation through machine vision for adjustment of K fertilization is underlined.
Highlights
Potassium (K) is among essential mineral nutrients with long-known importance for plant development and yields
Its content in plant ash can be as high as 50%, so K attracts close attention of plant physiologists and practitioners to develop recommendations for Kfertilizing of apple (Malus × domestica Borkh.) fruit plants to achieve their best performance in the field [1]
K is among the key nutrients for fruit crops, including apple
Summary
Potassium (K) is among essential mineral nutrients with long-known importance for plant development and yields. In the plants dwelling in arid regions, K augments water uptake and conservation, thereby reducing drought stress [10] This nutrient participates in the formation of the resilience to the low-temperature stress [11] and to biotic stresses caused by fungal, bacterial, and viral agents, as well y insects and nematodes [12,13]. Since K is involved in the regulation of plant homeostasis [14], its optimal supply is very important under the conditions of climate change and in view of the need to obtain good yields of high-quality fruits. Reaching this goal requires up-to-date fertilization management systems presuming balanced use of both organic and chemical fertilizers [15]. We highlighted the novel trends of the use of microbial biofertilizers to reduce the impact on the environment and pointed out the promise of on-line adjustment of K application rate during the growing season to avoid over-fertilizing employing automated crop load assessed via machine vision
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