Production of Low-Potassium Content Melon Through Hydroponic Nutrient Management Using Perlite Substrate

Chronic kidney disease patients are restricted to foods with high potassium content but our daily diets including melon are rich in potassium. Therefore, we investigated the production of low-potassium melon through hydroponic nutrient management in soilless culture using perlite substrate during autumn season of 2012, 2014 and spring season of 2016. In the first study, melon plants were supplied with 50% standard ‘Enshi’ nutrient solution until first 2 weeks of culture. In 3rd and 4th week, amount of applied potassium was 50, 75, 100, and 125% of required potassium nitrate for each plant per week (based on our previous study). It was found that, melon plants grown with 50% of its required potassium nitrate produced fruits with about 53% low-potassium compared to control. In the following study, four cultivars viz. Panna, Miyabi shunjuukei, Miyabi akifuyu412, and Miyabi soushun banshun309 were evaluated for their relative suitability of low-potassium melon production. Results showed insignificant difference in fruit potassium content among the cultivars used. Source of potassium fertilizer as potassium nitrate and potassium sulfate and their restriction (from 1 or 2 weeks after anthesis) were also studied. There were no influences on fruit potassium content and yield due to sources of potassium fertilizer and restriction timings. In our previous studies, it was evident that potassium can be translocated from leaves to fruits at maturity when it was supplied nutrient without potassium. Thus, we also studied total number of leaves per plant (23, 24, 25, 26, and 27 leaves per plant). It was evident that fruit potassium, yield, and quality were not influenced significantly due to differences in number of leaves per plant. These studies showed that restriction of potassium nitrate in the culture solution from anthesis to harvest could produce melon fruits with low-potassium (>20%) content compared to potassium content of greenhouse grown melon (340 mg/100 g FW). Quality testing and clinical validation of low-potassium melon also showed positive responses compared to greenhouse grown melon

Potassium - Improvement of Quality in Fruits and Vegetables Through Hydroponic Nutrient Management

The book Potassium - Improvement of Quality in Fruits and Vegetables Through Hydroponic Nutrient Management provides useful information regarding potassium nutrition management in hydroponic cultivation, which will help in producing quality horticultural crops. The first few chapters describe the role of potassium nutrition in plants, its interaction with other nutrients, its source fertilizers, the role in postharvest produce qualities, and human nutrition. Potassium fertilizer management, its metabolism in plants, and cultivation techniques of fruits and leafy vegetables are also included in the middle section. The final chapter illustrates the software development for the calculation of hydroponic nutrients including potassium for easy management of cultural solution. As a whole, this book covers several major aspects on the topic for making it a complete and useful resource

Strawberry - Pre- and Post-Harvest Management Techniques for Higher Fruit Quality

This book mainly deals with pre- and postharvest management practices of the strawberry to ensure that high-quality fruits are delivered to the consumer. The influence of climatic variables, cultural practices, harvesting techniques, and use of chemicals and other natural compounds on fruit quality are discussed. Factors affecting fruit growth and development and processes regarding maturation and biochemical changes during fruit ripening are also presented in one of the chapters of this book. Some chapters provide information regarding harvesting, storing, packaging, transporting, and also selling that affect strawberry quality greatly. Enhancement of yield and antioxidant contents in the strawberry by various natural products, including chitosan and probiotic bacterial, are also included in this book. The final chapter states that antioxidants present in strawberry fruit play a dietary role in alleviating oxidative stress in experimental liver models. This book focuses on the postharvest quality management of the strawberry and provides a useful resource to educationists, traders, and commercial strawberry growers

Phytochemicals - Source of Antioxidants and Role in Disease Prevention

Phytochemicals provides original research work and reviews on the sources of phytochemicals, and their roles in disease prevention, supplementation, and accumulation in fruits and vegetables. The roles of anthocyanin, flavonoids, carotenoids, and taxol are presented in separate chapters. Antioxidative and free radicle scavenging activity of phytochemicals is also discussed. The medicinal properties of Opuntia, soybean, sea buckthorn, and gooseberry are presented in a number of chapters. Supplementation of plant extract with phytochemical properties in broiler meals is discussed in one chapter. The final two chapters include the impact of agricultural practices and novel processing technologies on the accumulation of phytochemicals in fruits and vegetables. This book mainly focuses on medicinal plants and the disease-preventing properties of phytochemicals, which will be a useful resource to the reader