POTASSIUM IN PLANT METABOLISM.: II. EFFECT OF POTASSIUM UPON THE CARBOHYDRATE AND MINERAL COMPOSITION OF POTATO PLANTS

Abstract

Potato plants grown in sand culture and fed varying quantities of potassium responded with more vegetative growth and produced more and larger tubers as potassium application increased. Seven treatments ranging from complete deficiency to luxury consumption levels resulted in increasing amounts of potassium in all plant tissues and in decreasing amounts of sodium, calcium, magnesium, iron and copper in certain tissues. The amount of starch in the leaves was a direct function of the amount of potassium applied, but the starch content of the tubers was not.