**2. Potassium as major plant nutrition**

Potassium is the most abundant ion in the plant cell and regulates a range of cell functions and activates numerous enzyme reactions [1]. It is necessary for normal growth and development of plants [2] and absorbed by roots than any other mineral element except nitrogen [1, 3–5]. It has major function in the process of enzyme activation, ionic charge balance, and osmoregulation of cell [5, 6].

In terms of water and nutrient balance in plants, potassium has two major functions. It plays biochemical role in activation of enzymes for production of proteins and sugars, while it also plays biophysical function in maintaining turgor of cell and thus protecting water content in plant. A turgid cell keeps the vitality of plant leaves and efficient photosynthesis.

© 2016 The Author(s). Licensee InTech. This chapter is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. © 2018 The Author(s). Licensee IntechOpen. This chapter is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Most of the researchers suggested that adequate potassium nutrition increased yields and yield attributes especially size and shape, improved qualities such as soluble solids contents, ascorbic acid concentrations, fruit color, shelf life, and also shipping quality of many horticultural crops [7–11].

reported that higher concentrations of mineral nutrients are not used by plants or their uptake does not impact the higher production. It has been shown that the concentration of nutrient solution can be reduced by 50% without any adverse effect on biomass and quality in gerbera

Introductory Chapter: Potassium in Quality Improvement of Fruits and Vegetables

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In another study, no adverse effect on growth, fruit yield, and fruit quality in tomato was reported when there is reduction of macronutrient concentrations to 50% of the control level [23]. High levels of potassium in the nutrient solution increased fruit dry matter, total soluble solid content, and lycopene concentration of tomato [24]. Recent studies showed that reduced

**5. Production of specialty vegetables through hydroponic nutrient** 

Potassium plays an important role in our body through several vital electrolytic activities. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients can't excrete unnecessary potassium through their impaired kidneys and thus get accumulated in the blood. This abnormally elevated level of potassium in the blood causing hyperkalemia disease to them. Hyperkalemic or dialysis patients are suggested to avoid potassium-rich food, but our daily diets including fruits and vegetables are rich in potassium. Therefore, production of low potassium content fruits and

In general, the greenhouse cultured raw melon has higher potassium content of 340 mg/100 g fresh weight [25]. Significant decreases in potassium content in melon fruits would improve the diet of dialysis patients. Therefore, quantitative management of hydroponic culture solution yielded melon fruits having sufficiently low potassium content (**Figure 1**) [16]. A simple management of

**Figure 1.** Reduced potassium nitrates levels decrease the fruit potassium content of netted melon grown in hydroponics

concentration in standard hydroponic nutrient solution produced melon fruits with

[21] and geranium [22].

lower potassium content [16].

vegetables would benefit this type of people greatly.

KNO3

[16].

**management**
