Differences in the Efficiency of Potassium (K) Uptake and Use in Five Apple Rootstock Genotypes

Plants that grow well while accumulating and transporting less potassium (K) perform better than more-sensitive plants when under deficiency conditions, which makes low-K-input and environmentally friendly agriculture possible. We conducted hydroponics and sand culture experiments to evaluate the efficiency of various apple (Malus domestica Borkh) rootstocks in their K uptake and utilization. Five genotypes were selected which are widely used in China - M. hupehensis Rehd, M. prunifolia Borkh, M. robusta Rehd, M. sieversii Roem, and M. rockii Rehd. Plant heights, root and shoot dry weights, and K concentrations were recorded. These genotypes differed markedly in dry weights, absolute and relative K concentrations, absolute and relative K accumulations, and their K efficiency ratio under deficient K conditions. The last parameter, expressed as relative shoot dry weight, was strongly and positively correlated with the other four parameters in each genotype. Therefore, we suggest that this parameter could serve as an index when selecting K-efficient genotypes. In this study, we have determined that M. sieversii and M. rockii are K-inefficient genotypes; M. prunifolia is K-efficient genotype; M. hupehensis and M. robusta have moderate levels of potassium efficiency.