Abstract:
This study was conducted under Ahvaz, Iran environm
ental condition during 2012 and
2013 growing seasons in order to investigate the in
fluence of foliar application of
potassium on some physiological and biochemical cha
racteristics of three olive cultivars
including ‘Mission’, ‘Koroneiki’ and ‘Dezfuli’. Pot
assium sulfate in different
concentrations of 0, 1, and 2 g l
-1
was sprayed twice on selected mature 10 year old t
rees;
at 50 and 65 days after full bloom. Potassium spray
s increased leaf chlorophyll content of
all cultivars, leaf potassium content in ‘Mission’
and ‘Koroneiki’ cvs., fruit anthocyanin
concentration of ‘Dezfuli’ in two crop seasons. How
ever, K treatments had no significant
effect on leaf N and P content, fruit K and P conte
nt in all studied cultivars. Fruit soluble
carbohydrates increased by foliar application of po
tassium in ‘Koroneiki’ and ‘Dezfuli’
cultivars in the second year of study. Stem water p
otential and leaf stomatal conductance
were significantly affected by cultivar and K treat
ments during the two years. Our
findings showed that foliar application of potassiu
m resulted in the decrease of stomatal
conductance of ‘Koroneiki’ and ‘Dezfuli’ in two cro
p seasons. Based on the results, it can
be concluded that the studied cultivars differently
respond to K treatments during the two
crop seasons and foliar potassium application could
have a positive impact on leaf
chlorophyll, leaf potassium, fruit soluble carbohyd
rates and fruit anthocyanins in olive
cultivars.
Keywords:
Foliar application, Olive, Potassium,
Soluble carbohydrates, Stomatal
conductance.
