Does potassium foliar application improve the yield and potassium uptake of strawberry fruits?

A sufficient K supply in strawberry plants stimulates the synthesis of more sugar, producing commercial fruits of higher quality and sweeter.
Therefore, nutritional management by fertigation and foliar K application is important for strawberry production, to increase sweetness, firmness and anthocyanin accumulation in the fruits.
A trial was established to evaluate five K foliar sources (40% K₂O) on the yield and K uptake in ‘San Andreas’ strawberry plants.
The foliar K sources evaluated were Product 1 (P1), P2, P3, P4 and P5. Foliar P1 and P4 come from organic sources, and foliar P2, P3 and P4 come from inorganic sources.
Strawberry plants were grown in a column system with quarry sand as a substrate.
A column consisted of eight 3.5 L capacity of styrofoam pots.
The plants were watered with nutrient solution through an automated drip irrigation system.
The fruit number and fresh weight, yield plant^‑1, yield column^‑1 and yield of three columns per treatment were evaluated.
The yield plant^‑1 was significant, with higher yields obtained in plants grown with P4. There were significant differences found in K uptake in leaves and fruits.
The P4 foliar application generated higher yield (per plant, per column and per treatment). Higher K uptake in leaves and fruits was found in plants treated with P4.

X International Strawberry Symposium

M. Chang, A. Rodríguez-Delfín

Fragaria × ananassa Duch., nutrient solution, soilless culture, hydroponics, Yaku cyclone

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2026.1465.60