ArticleBMC plant biology2026
Effects of different potassium sulfate to potassium chloride ratios on lettuce growth, nutritional quality, and rhizosphere microbial community.
Article in BMC plant biology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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Abstract
backgroundPotassium fertilizers differ in their accompanying anions, which may alter crop performance and rhizosphere processes beyond potassium nutrition alone. This study examined how contrasting sulfate-chloride proportions in potassium supply affect Italian lettuce growth, nutritional quality, soil chemical status, and microbial community organization under equivalent total nutrient input.
resultsPotassium source composition produced distinct responses across plant, soil, and microbial traits. A mixed sulfate-chloride supply provided the most balanced improvement in biomass formation, root development, and quality-related metabolism, whereas sulfate-only fertilization favored selected nitrogen-assimilation and protein-related indicators. Shifts in anion supply modified soil sulfur, chloride, salinity, and nitrate-related conditions, thereby creating differentiated edaphic niches. Bacterial and fungal assemblages responded unevenly to these changes: bacterial communities showed stronger treatment-specific turnover and a greater prevalence of transient specialists, while fungal communities contained more persistent and broadly distributed taxa. Multivariate and network analyses further indicated that nutrient availability, salinity-related factors, and selected keystone genera jointly shaped community structure and potential functional stability.
conclusionsThe sulfate-chloride balance in potassium fertilization acts as an integrated regulator of lettuce productivity, produce quality, soil nutrient status, and rhizosphere microbial assembly. Optimizing this balance can improve fertilizer management while supporting crop performance and soil ecological functioning.
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