Polysulphate Kiwifruit Trial in China
209
Xi'an City, Shaanxi Province, China 2019
209
Key Conclusions
The response of kiwifruit to Polysulphate and MegaPoly fertilizers is impressive. Kiwifruit commercial yield increased by an impressive 209% compared to the control, with a 2.6-fold increase in profit.
Objective
To evaluate the effects of Polysulphate and MegaPoly on kiwifruit (Actinidia deliciosa) yield and quality, and to determine appropriate application doses and timing for these fertilizers for the kiwifruit production system in Shaanxi Province, China.
Trial Details
Trial station
Xi'an City, Shaanxi Province, China
Crop
Kiwifruit
Product
Megapoly
Assessments
Total yield, and commercial yield
Treatments
The experiment was designed in random blocks with 3 replicates (14 plants per replicate). Fertilizers were applied twice during the 2019 growing season.
- At budding (in early April) all treatments received compound NPK fertilizer (25:5:5) at 750 kg/ha. Polysulphate was applied at 0, 375 and 750 kg/ha to the control, T1-T4, and T5-T6 treatments, respectively.
- At fruit enlargement (July) a second dose of compound NPK fertilizer (20:5:15) was applied at 750 kg/ha to the control, T1-T3 , and T6 treatments, and 450 kg/ha to T4-T5. Additionally, K2SO4 was applied to the control and T1 at 300 kg/ha K2SO4 and MegaPoly was applied at 600 kg/ha to T3 and 300 kg/ha to T2 and T4-T6.
Treatment | NPK | SOP | Polysulphate | MegaPoly |
---|---|---|---|---|
kg/ha | kg/ha | kg/ha | kg/ha | |
Control | 750 | 300 | - | - |
T1 | 750 | 300 | 375 | - |
T2 | 750 | - | 375 | 300 |
T3 | 750 | - | 375 | 600 |
T4 | 450 | - | 375 | 300 |
T5 | 450 | - | 750 | 300 |
T6 | 750 | - | 750 | 300 |
Treatments
The experiment was designed in random blocks with 3 replicates (14 plants per replicate). Fertilizers were applied twice during the 2019 growing season.
- At budding (in early April) all treatments received compound NPK fertilizer (25:5:5) at 750 kg/ha. Polysulphate was applied at 0, 375 and 750 kg/ha to the control, T1-T4, and T5-T6 treatments, respectively.
- At fruit enlargement (July) a second dose of compound NPK fertilizer (20:5:15) was applied at 750 kg/ha to the control, T1-T3 , and T6 treatments, and 450 kg/ha to T4-T5. Additionally, K2SO4 was applied to the control and T1 at 300 kg/ha K2SO4 and MegaPoly was applied at 600 kg/ha to T3 and 300 kg/ha to T2 and T4-T6.
Treatment | NPK | SOP | Polysulphate | MegaPoly |
---|---|---|---|---|
kg/ha | kg/ha | kg/ha | kg/ha | |
Control | 750 | 300 | - | - |
T1 | 750 | 300 | 375 | - |
T2 | 750 | - | 375 | 300 |
T3 | 750 | - | 375 | 600 |
T4 | 450 | - | 375 | 300 |
T5 | 450 | - | 750 | 300 |
T6 | 750 | - | 750 | 300 |
Results
- Treatment T2 (375 kg/ha Polysulphate and 300 kg/ha MegaPoly) displayed the highest commercial yield (3 times higher than the control).
- Economic analysis of commercial-grade yields showed that T2 gave the highest profit for the farmer (2.6 times more profit than the control without Polysulphate and MegaPoly applications).
- Application of Polysulphate at budding and MegaPoly at fruit enlargement demonstrated remarkable potential to enhance kiwifruit yield and quality.
Different letters indicate significant differences at P<0.05.
From research funded by the International Potash Institute www.ipipotash.org.