Effect of extending the early season potassium supply on young ‘Keisie’ canning peach trees on a sandy, infertile soil

Abstract

A field trial was carried out to investigate the effects of applying potassium (K), either in two equal parts at full bloom (FB) and 42 days after FB (2-way split); or as a 4-way split, commencing at FB, with three further applications at 4-week intervals, on ‘Keisie’ peach trees on infertile sand to loamy sand soil. Fruit × concentrations were significantly lower in the 4-way than the 2- way split × treatments in two consecutive seasons. No other consistent, significant effects were observed. Increasing the period over which early-season × is supplied, beyond that which is used in the 2-way split procedure, is therefore unnecessary, even on rapidly leaching soils.