What are the symptoms of potassium deficiency in peach trees? Detailed explanation of the latest signs
Peach trees are grown on a very large area in our country. When growing peach trees, fertilization work is very important. We must ensure that fertilization provides sufficient and comprehensive nutrition. No nutrient can be lacking, especially potassium, which is very important for the growth of peach trees. If peach trees lack potassium, then it is very unfavorable for the growth of peach trees. So what are the symptoms of potassium deficiency in peach trees? Now let's take a look together with the editor!
1. Symptoms of potassium deficiency
Potassium deficiency in peach trees will show symptoms on all parts of the tree. Newly sprouted new shoots on the branches will be thin and long, and if the leaves are affected, then it will spread from the leaves in the middle of the new shoots to the base and top of the plant. The first to show symptoms are the old leaves. In the early stage of potassium deficiency, the leaf margins will gradually scorch, but the mesophyll tissue will not be affected. The main veins of the leaves shrink and the leaves curl, and finally brown patches appear around the leaf margins. The patches gradually necrose. If you look at the back, the color is generally mainly red, but the leaves generally do not fall off.
It will also affect the peach flowers, especially the flower buds. If potassium is deficient, the number of flower buds will decrease as a result, thereby reducing the flowering rate. If the fruit lacks potassium, the fruit will be thin and small, poorly colored, and bland and sour in taste, with extremely low commercial value. Moreover, the top of the fruit is also prone to a rotting appearance, and physiological fruit drop is likely to occur. For the whole peach tree, potassium deficiency will significantly reduce the growth vigor of the peach tree, causing a decline in the tree's stress resistance and making it prone to various diseases. In severe cases, it will cause the entire peach tree to wilt.
2. Conditions for occurrence
When growing peach trees, if the soil is fine sandy soil, acidic soil, or soil with little organic matter, then potassium deficiency is likely to occur. And if too much lime is applied, then the availability of potassium will also decrease as a result. In addition, if nitrogen fertilizer is applied to soil where potassium deficiency is not very serious, potassium deficiency is even more likely to appear. If fruit trees lack potassium, they are prone to freezing damage, but after applying potassium fertilizer, magnesium deficiency is also likely to occur, and if there is too much potassium fertilizer, boron deficiency is also likely. If the amount of fruit hanging on the tree is too large, the potassium content in the leaves will decrease, and potassium deficiency is likely to occur.
3. Prevention and control measures
The roots of peach trees are not distributed very deeply, so respiration is relatively strong. Therefore, we should properly deep-plow and improve the soil to increase soil aeration. And in combination with deep plowing, sufficient organic fertilizer should also be applied in autumn, with the amount per tree kept at about 45kg. Then in spring when the peach trees begin to sprout, in combination with watering work, apply an appropriate amount of plant ash per tree. Then during important periods such as the flowering stage, leaf expansion stage, and fruit expansion stage of peach trees, appropriately spray plant ash or potassium dihydrogen phosphate, etc., to supplement potassium for the peach trees and meet their potassium requirements. At the same time, we must also do a good job in pruning, appropriately remove excess bare branches, and thin and cut back branches such as overly dense branches and bouquet-like branches to rejuvenate the tree vigor.
The above is a brief introduction to what symptoms peach trees have when lacking potassium. That is all for today's introduction. This article is for reference only, and we hope it can be helpful to everyone!