Comprehensive Assessment of Low Potassium Tolerance in Mature Chinese Cabbage and Physiological Differences in Responses to Potassium Deficiency
Meng Zhao1, Shuai Li1, Yuanyuan Zhang2,3, Yunduan Qin2,3, Yu Xu2,3, Chunyang Feng2,3, Kekang Su2,3, Xinlei Guo2,3, Changwei Shen1,*, Jingping Yuan2,3,*
1 School of Plant Protection and Environment/School of Bee Science, Henan Institute of Science and Technology, Xinxiang, China
2 School of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Henan Institute of Science and Technology, Xinxiang, China
3 Henan Engineering Research Center of the Development and Utilization of Characteristic Horticultural Plants, Xinxiang, China
* Corresponding Author: Changwei Shen. Email: 
; Jingping Yuan. Email: 
(This article belongs to the Special Issue: Advances in Plant Nutrition-Mechanisms, Regulation, and Sustainable Applications)
Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany https://doi.org/10.32604/phyton.2026.077668
Received 15 December 2025; Accepted 20 April 2026; Published online 12 May 2026
Abstract
Chinese cabbage (
Brassica rapa ssp.
pekinensis) is a typical potassium (K)-demanding crop that is highly sensitive to soil K availability. Severe soil potassium deficiency in production fields frequently impairs both yield and quality. Therefore, screening for potassium-efficient varieties is essential for identifying germplasm resources and breeding materials tolerant to low-K conditions. To evaluate genetic variation in potassium utilization efficiency, 12 Chinese cabbage germplasms were assessed under two field conditions: with adequate potassium supply (K
2O 165 kg/ha) and without potassium application (K
2O 0 kg/ha). Fourteen parameters, including yield, plant growth, potassium content, and potassium accumulation, were measured and compared. Principal component analysis (PCA) was employed to identify key indicators influencing K-use efficiency, and cluster analysis was subsequently performed to classify the 12 germplasms. The results demonstrated that under K-deficient conditions, the mean values of yield, fresh plant weight, shoot K accumulation, and total plant K accumulation were significantly reduced compared to those under adequate K supply. Based on three principal components (root fresh weight, shoot potassium utilization efficiency, and yield), membership function values, and comprehensive evaluation scores (D-values), the 12 genotypes were classified into four categories: low-K tolerant (‘HK8’); moderately low-K tolerant (‘HK1’, ‘HK6’, ‘HK12’, ‘HK42’); intermediate low-K sensitive (‘HK18’, ‘HK25’, ‘HK27’, ‘HK40’); and low-K sensitive (‘HK45’, ‘HK48’, ‘HK54’). Under K-deficiency stress, significant differences were observed between the low-K tolerant genotype ‘HK8’ and the low-K sensitive genotype ‘HK48’ in terms of yield, dry matter accumulation across plant organs, potassium distribution patterns, and K
+/Na
+ and Ca
2+/Na
+ ratios. Notably, the low-K tolerant genotype ‘HK8’ exhibited markedly superior salt tolerance compared to the low-K sensitive genotype ‘HK48’, suggesting a potential physiological link between low-K tolerance and ionic homeostasis.
Keywords
Chinese cabbage; low potassium tolerance; genotype; potassium efficiency; potassium utilization efficiency
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