Studies on critical levels of macronutrient elements in peach

Critical levels of K, Ca and Mg for peach were evaluated by using sand culture as well as nutritionalcum-fruit yield survey. Six doses of each nutrient viz. 0.0, 0.125, 0.25, 0.50, 1.0 and 2.0 times the normal dose were supplied through nutrient solutions to the plants in sand culture experiment. Response of different plant growth attributes alongwith deficiency symptoms was observed on one year old peach plants. K and Mg exhibited significant influence on different plant growth attributes at 0.50 level and Ca at 0.25 level. The leaf K, Ca and Mg contents of 1.96, 2.38 and 0.32 per cent obtained at 0.50, 0.25 and 0.50 levels respectively, were considered as critical for the normal growth of peach plants. Nutritional-cum-fruit yield survey also revealed similar critical values of these elements.