Eggplant yield in response to potassium fertilization on sandy soil

Hochmuth, G.J.; Hochmuth, R.C.; Donley, M.E.; Hanlon, E.A.

Eggplant yield in response to potassium fertilization on sandy soil

1993

Hochmuth, G.J. | Hochmuth, R.C. | Donley, M.E. | Hanlon, E.A.

'Classic' eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) responses to K fertilization were evaluated in Spring and Fall 1991 at Live Oak, Fla., on soils testing low in Mehlich-1 extractable K. Total season yield leveled off at 51.1 t-ha-1 with 94 kg K/ha fertilization in spring and at 53.3 t.ha-1 with 60 kg K/ha in fall. Critical K concentrations (in grams per kilogram) in whole leaves were approximately 45 at first flowering, 35 at early fruiting, 30 during harvest, and 28 at the end of seven harvests. Fresh petiole-sap K critical concentrations (in milligrams per liter) were approximately 4500 to 5000 before harvest and 4000 to 4500 during harvest. Less than 3500 mg K/liter in fresh sap indicated K deficiency in fruiting plants. The Mehlich-1 soil extractant procedure predicted similar responses at the two sites; however, yield responses showed that the two sites differed in fertilization requirements. Fertilizer recommendations for K at both sites exceeded eggplant K requirements.

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