Applying of potassium significantly reduced weight loss during pepper postharvest in the 3 first of the 5 sampling dates evaluated

During the trial, the effect of different potassium forms (potassium-chloride, potassium-sulphate and both) and the applying date (basal, starter, basel+starter, basel+starter+top-dressing) on the shrinkage of the white fruited, cone shaped sweet pepper fruits (cv. Century/Emese) was examined. The soil type of the field was humic sand with a medium (56-163 ppm K2O) potassium level. Eleven treatments were formed containing a zero control receiving only a nitrogen top-dressing. The other 10 treatments received a uniformly applied active ingredient dose of 170 kg K2O/ha. In the course of the 3 year experiment, samples were taken 5 times from the highest grade horticulturally mature fruit. During the 10 day storage period, we measured shrinkage loss after 60, 120, 180, 240 hours. The storage environment emulated the retail environment of an ordinary supermarket chain (18-23 ?C and 70-80 % relative humidity). The average weight loss was between 3.2-7.9 %. Based on our results, it can be concluded that the applying of potassium significantly reduced weight loss in 3 out of the 5 sampling dates. The remaining 2 autumn samples were not significantly difference. In our experiment, the form of potassium, the application date, and the sharing of the fertilizer had no effect on the shrinkage loss. The treatments with higher weight loss (receiving only nitrogen top dressing) did not have lower potassium levels in the fruits compared to the treatments receiving potassium, whereas the potassium fertilization had a demonstrable impact on the leaf potassium content. Original title, authors and sources The effect of potassium fertilization on the sweet pepper fruits? shrinkage during storageA. Jezdinsky1, M. Mihaly2, F. Orosz3, R. Pokluda1, K. Slezak21Department of Vegetable Sciences & Floriculture, Faculty of Horticulture, Mendel University in Brno, Czech Republic, ales.jezdinsky@gmail.com2Department of Vegetable & Mushroom Growing, Faculty of Horticultural Science, Corvinus University of Budapest, Hungary3Horticulture Department, Faculty of Technical and Human Sciences, Sapientia University, Romania V Postharvest Unlimited, ISHS International Conference, 10-13 June 2014, Cyprus, http://web.cut.ac.cy/postharvest/ Picture by tastefulgarden.com Key wordsPoscosecha??? postcosecha?? postharvest???? na-oes?? ??? ???????? ????????????????? post-r?colte???? ???? ?? ???????????????????????????????? na-oogst????????? post-raccolta?? Obr?bka po??? p?s-colheita??? ???????????????????? hasat sonras?? ??????????? Ernte?? ???????????????????? ???? ?????????????? postcollita??????? poskliz?ov頠?? ????? ????????????? ??????????? nakon branja?? pozberov頠??????????????? obdelovanje zemlje po?????????? post-colleita??? ????? ???????? pascapanen??????????? ?il?onn postharvest???? ??????????? p?c ra?as??????? derliaus apdirbimas po?????????? lepas tuai??????? ?? ?? ????????????????? post-recoltare?????? ???????????????? ?????????????????????? ??????????????????? ????????????????????? sau thu ho?ch? ?????????????????????????? zangemva kwenkathi yokuvuna?????????????????? Pimiento???????? morr?n??????????? pepperpeper??????????? ????? ????? pipro??? poivre? ?????????????????????????????????? pepe??? pieprz? pimenta?????????? ?????? biber??? ???? ???????????????????????????????????????????? ???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? ??????????? Pimiento???????? morr?n??????????? pepperpeper?? ????? ????? pipro??? poivre? ?????????????????????????????????? pepe??????????? pieprz? pimenta?????????? ?????? biber??? ???? ?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? ??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? ?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????