Effects of applying potassium on kiwifruit eating quality and storage life

7-year-old vines of Miliang 1 kiwifruit cultivar (Actinidia deliciosa C.F. Liang et A. R. Ferguson) were used as materials for studying the effects of applying potassium on the fruit eating quality and storage life. The results showed that potassium treatments improved the fruit quality and storage life. The fruit soluble solids content, Vitamin C and flesh firmness of potassium treatments were significantly higher than those of control. However, the highest potassium treatment with 120 g K2O per tree made quality worse. Under 0~4℃ condition, the treatment with 80 g K2O per tree had the best effect on fruit storability. After 73 days cool storage, the softening fruit ratio of which was the lowest (15.56%), flesh firmness of which was the highest (0.27 MPa). On the 180th day, the fruit quality treated with 80 g K2O per tree were better than others, and the unrotten fruit ratio was the highest(68.89%),all fruits of control were already rotten. Therefore, potassium application delayed fruit senescence and improved fruit storability.