{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,21]],"date-time":"2026-09-21T12:15:21Z","timestamp":1789992921984,"version":"4.0.1"},"reference-count":51,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"18","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,19]],"date-time":"2026-09-19T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1789776000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100008990","name":"Department of Science and Technology of Zhejiang Province","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["2023C02002"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["2023C02002"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100008990","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Plants"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Peach fruit quality\u2014including sweetness, firmness, and nutritional value\u2014is strongly determined by mineral nutrition, yet limited soil availability of calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) under production activities often constrains high-quality fruit formation in juicy peach production. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of foliar application of Ca and Mg on leaf nutrient status and fruit quality in peach (Prunus persica L. Batsch). Seven treatments were established, including 0.1% (T1), 0.2% (T2), and 0.3% (T3) CaCl2 solutions, 0.1% (T4), 0.2% (T5), and 0.3% (T6) MgSO4 solutions, and a water-sprayed control (CK). All treatments were applied during the fruit development stage, and RNA sequencing analysis was performed on the highest-concentration MgSO4 treatment group. The results of this study showed that high-concentration treatments (0.3% CaCl2, T3; 0.3% MgSO4, T6) significantly increased leaf chlorophyll and Ca\/Mg accumulation relative to CK. For Ca treatments, T3 significantly increased sucrose content, whereas T2 enhanced glucose accumulation and total phenolic content, indicating that appropriate CaCl2 supplementation may improve fruit quality through regulation of carbohydrate metabolism and antioxidant responses. T6 produced the greatest gains in soluble sugars, soluble solids, vitamin C, and antioxidant capacity, indicating a close link between leaf Mg status and carbohydrate accumulation. Transcriptomic analysis of peach leaves further revealed that Mg supplementation modulated genes involved in starch and sucrose metabolism, contributing to sugar accumulation. This study revealed that foliar application of 0.3% MgSO4 offers an effective strategy for improving peach fruit quality.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/plants15182873","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,21]],"date-time":"2026-09-21T11:05:53Z","timestamp":1789988753000},"page":"2873","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Effects of Foliar Calcium and Magnesium Application on Peach (Prunus persica L.) Nutrition Status and Fruit Quality Formation"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"15","author":[{"given":"Chang","family":"Lu","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"State Key Laboratory of Soil Pollution Control and Safety, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"},{"role":"conceptualization","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"methodology","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"investigation","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"writing-original-draft","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"writing-review-editing","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"project-administration","vocabulary":"credit"}]},{"given":"Xudong","family":"Wang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Ecosystem Health, Ministry of Education (MOE), College of Environmental and Resources Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"},{"role":"investigation","vocabulary":"credit"}]},{"given":"Xiaoying","family":"Guo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Ecosystem Health, Ministry of Education (MOE), College of Environmental and Resources Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"},{"role":"investigation","vocabulary":"credit"}]},{"given":"Bilal","family":"Hussain","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Ecosystem Health, Ministry of Education (MOE), College of Environmental and Resources Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"},{"role":"writing-review-editing","vocabulary":"credit"}]},{"given":"Shane","family":"Wang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"State Key Laboratory of Soil Pollution Control and Safety, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"},{"role":"methodology","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"writing-review-editing","vocabulary":"credit"}]},{"given":"Xiaoe","family":"Yang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"State Key Laboratory of Soil Pollution Control and Safety, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"},{"role":"conceptualization","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"writing-review-editing","vocabulary":"credit"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,19]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","first-page":"1190","article-title":"The peach: Botany, production, and uses","volume":"43","author":"Layne","year":"2008","journal-title":"Hortscience"},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Veerappan, K., Natarajan, S., Chung, H., and Park, J. (2021). Molecular Insights of Fruit Quality Traits in Peaches, Prunus persica. Plants, 10.","DOI":"10.3390\/plants10102191"},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1863","DOI":"10.1002\/jsfa.3293","article-title":"Flavor quality of fruits and vegetables","volume":"88","author":"Kader","year":"2008","journal-title":"J. Sci. Food Agric."},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"548","DOI":"10.1111\/nph.15738","article-title":"Root phenotypes for improved nutrient capture: An underexploited opportunity for global agriculture","volume":"223","author":"Lynch","year":"2019","journal-title":"New Phytol."},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3","DOI":"10.1007\/s13593-023-00939-z","article-title":"Crop response to nitrogen-phosphorus colimitation: Theory, experimental evidences, mechanisms, and models. A review","volume":"44","author":"Seghouani","year":"2024","journal-title":"Agron. Sustain. Dev."},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1008","DOI":"10.1126\/science.1182570","article-title":"Significant Acidification in Major Chinese Croplands","volume":"327","author":"Guo","year":"2010","journal-title":"Science"},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2142","DOI":"10.1105\/tpc.105.032508","article-title":"Calcium: A central regulator of plant growth and development","volume":"17","author":"Hepler","year":"2005","journal-title":"Plant Cell"},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2645","DOI":"10.1093\/jxb\/erq430","article-title":"Abscisic acid triggers whole-plant and fruit-specific mechanisms to increase fruit calcium uptake and prevent blossom end rot development in tomato fruit","volume":"62","author":"Shackel","year":"2011","journal-title":"J. Exp. Bot."},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Hocking, B., Tyerman, S.D., Burton, R.A., and Gilliham, M. (2016). Fruit Calcium: Transport and Physiology. Front. Plant Sci., 7.","DOI":"10.3389\/fpls.2016.00569"},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"414","DOI":"10.1111\/ppl.12747","article-title":"Functioning of potassium and magnesium in photosynthesis, photosynthate translocation and photoprotection","volume":"163","author":"Tavakol","year":"2018","journal-title":"Physiol. Plant."},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Zhang, B., Cakmak, I., Feng, J., Yu, C., Chen, X., Xie, D., Wu, L., Song, Z., Cao, J., and He, Y. (2020). Magnesium Deficiency Reduced the Yield and Seed Germination in Wax Gourd by Affecting the Carbohydrate Translocation. Front. Plant Sci., 11.","DOI":"10.3389\/fpls.2020.00797"},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"109671","DOI":"10.1016\/j.plaphy.2025.109671","article-title":"Comprehensive analysis of the effects on photosynthesis and energy balance in tomato leaves under magnesium deficiency","volume":"222","author":"Zhu","year":"2025","journal-title":"Plant Physiol. Biochem."},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Ishfaq, M., Wang, Y., Yan, M., Wang, Z., Wu, L., Li, C., and Li, X. (2022). Physiological Essence of Magnesium in Plants and Its Widespread Deficiency in the Farming System of China. Front. Plant Sci., 13.","DOI":"10.3389\/fpls.2022.802274"},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1998","DOI":"10.1021\/acs.jafc.5c09250","article-title":"Enhancing Iron Nutrition in Citrus: Synergistic Roles of Proline-2\u2032-deoxymugineic Acid in Root Physiology and Microbiome","volume":"74","author":"Gong","year":"2026","journal-title":"J. Agric. Food Chem."},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Penn, C.J., and Camberato, J.J. (2019). A Critical Review on Soil Chemical Processes that Control How Soil pH Affects Phosphorus Availability to Plants. Agriculture, 9.","DOI":"10.3390\/agriculture9060120"},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"108089","DOI":"10.1016\/j.agee.2022.108089","article-title":"Global meta-analysis of nitrogen fertilizer use efficiency in rice, wheat and maize","volume":"338","author":"Yu","year":"2022","journal-title":"Agric. Ecosyst. Environ."},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"109","DOI":"10.1016\/bs.agron.2024.05.002","article-title":"Chapter Three\u2014Foliar nitrogen and phosphorus fertilization","volume":"Volume 187","author":"Sparks","year":"2024","journal-title":"Advances in Agronomy"},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"36","DOI":"10.1080\/07352680902743069","article-title":"Uptake of Hydrophilic Solutes Through Plant Leaves: Current State of Knowledge and Perspectives of Foliar Fertilization","volume":"28","author":"Eichert","year":"2009","journal-title":"Crit. Rev. Plant Sci."},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"4600","DOI":"10.1093\/jxb\/erab229","article-title":"Strategies for probing absorption and translocation of foliar-applied nutrients","volume":"72","author":"Otto","year":"2021","journal-title":"J. Exp. Bot."},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Januszkiewicz, R., Kulczycki, G., and Samoraj, M. (2023). Foliar Fertilization of Crop Plants in Polish Agriculture. Agriculture, 13.","DOI":"10.3390\/agriculture13091715"},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"El-Jendoubi, H., V\u00e1zquez, S., Calatayud, \u00c1., Vavpeti\u010d, P., Vogel-Miku\u0161, K., Pelicon, P., Abad\u00eda, J., Abad\u00eda, A., and Morales, F. (2014). The effects of foliar fertilization with iron sulfate in chlorotic leaves are limited to the treated area. A study with peach trees (Prunus persica L. Batsch) grown in the field and sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.) grown in hydroponics. Front. Plant Sci., 5.","DOI":"10.3389\/fpls.2014.00002"},{"key":"ref_22","first-page":"642","article-title":"Multivariate analysis of the effect of foliar fertilisers on phytochemical and fruit traits of pomegranate (Punica granatum L.)","volume":"101","author":"Yaman","year":"2025","journal-title":"J. Hortic. Sci. Biotechnol."},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Wu, L., Wang, F., Sha, R., Li, X., Yu, K., and Feng, J. (2023). The Effect of N and KH2PO4 on Skin Color, Sugars, and Organic Acids of \u201cFlame Seedless\u201d Grape. Agronomy, 13.","DOI":"10.3390\/agronomy13030902"},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"741","DOI":"10.1139\/cjps-2017-0170","article-title":"AVG, NAA, boron, and magnesium influence preharvest fruit drop and fruit quality of \u2018Honeycrisp\u2019 apples","volume":"98","author":"Arseneault","year":"2018","journal-title":"Can. J. Plant Sci."},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Wang, G., Wang, J., Han, X., Chen, R., and Xue, X. (2022). Effects of Spraying Calcium Fertilizer on Photosynthesis, Mineral Content, Sugar\u2013Acid Metabolism and Fruit Quality of Fuji Apples. Agronomy, 12.","DOI":"10.3390\/agronomy12102563"},{"key":"ref_26","unstructured":"Marschner, P. (2012). Marschner\u2019s Mineral Nutrition of Higher Plants, Academic Press. [3rd ed.]."},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Feng, D., Wang, X., Gao, J., Zhang, C., Liu, H., Liu, P., and Sun, X. (2023). Exogenous calcium: Its mechanisms and research advances involved in plant stress tolerance. Front. Plant Sci., 14.","DOI":"10.3389\/fpls.2023.1143963"},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Wang, T., Tan, L., Chen, Z., Yang, Y., Yuan, Y., Zheng, Z., Deng, L., Zhang, M., Sun, G., and He, S. (2024). Mitigating citrus fruit cracking: The efficacy of chelated calcium or silicon foliar fertilizers in \u2018Okitsu no. 58\u2019 citrus fruit. Front. Plant Sci., 15.","DOI":"10.3389\/fpls.2024.1402945"},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"258","DOI":"10.1016\/j.scienta.2018.06.043","article-title":"Pre-harvest CaCl2 and GA3 treatments improve postharvest quality of green bell peppers (Capsicum annuum L.) during storage period","volume":"240","author":"Bagnazari","year":"2018","journal-title":"Sci. Hortic."},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"465","DOI":"10.1002\/jpln.201000181","article-title":"In-season calcium-spray formulations improve calcium balance and fruit quality traits of peach","volume":"174","author":"Val","year":"2011","journal-title":"J. Plant Nutr. Soil Sci."},{"key":"ref_31","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2446","DOI":"10.1111\/nph.17074","article-title":"The molecular\u2013physiological functions of mineral macronutrients and their consequences for deficiency symptoms in plants","volume":"229","author":"Husted","year":"2021","journal-title":"New Phytol."},{"key":"ref_32","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"111282","DOI":"10.1016\/j.scienta.2022.111282","article-title":"Effect of magnesium application on the fruit coloration and sugar accumulation of navel orange (Citrus sinensis Osb.)","volume":"304","author":"Liu","year":"2022","journal-title":"Sci. Hortic."},{"key":"ref_33","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Bai, R., Liu, H., Liu, Y., and Yong, J.W.H. (2024). Effects of Foliar Application of Magnesium Fertilizer on Photosynthesis and Growth in Grapes. Agronomy, 14.","DOI":"10.3390\/agronomy14112659"},{"key":"ref_34","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Nas, Y., and K\u00f6m\u00fcrkara Zengin, S. (2024). Agronomic, Biochemical, and Physiological Responses to Magnesium (Mg) Application in Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) under Greenhouse Conditions. Horticulturae, 10.","DOI":"10.3390\/horticulturae10101034"},{"key":"ref_35","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"112972","DOI":"10.1016\/j.scienta.2024.112972","article-title":"Magnesium\u2019s impact on fruit quality of loquat: Insights into sugar and acid dynamics","volume":"328","author":"Ali","year":"2024","journal-title":"Sci. Hortic."},{"key":"ref_36","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"114357","DOI":"10.1016\/j.scienta.2025.114357","article-title":"Magnesium fertilization promotes flavor balance and phenolic accumulation in Guanxi honey pomelo (Citrus maxima (Burm.) Merr.) on acidic soils","volume":"350","author":"Su","year":"2025","journal-title":"Sci. Hortic."},{"key":"ref_37","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2963","DOI":"10.1002\/jsfa.7462","article-title":"Effect of calcium chloride treatments on calcium content, anthracnose severity and antioxidant activity in papaya fruit during ambient storage","volume":"96","author":"Madani","year":"2016","journal-title":"J. Sci. Food Agric."},{"key":"ref_38","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Su, D., Jiang, Y., Song, B., Wu, Z., Yan, X., He, Z., Ye, D., Ou, J., Zeng, Y., and Wu, L. (2024). Reduced Fertilization and Magnesium Supplementation: Modulating Fruit Quality in Honey Pomelo (Citrus maxima (Burm.) Merr.). Plants, 13.","DOI":"10.3390\/plants13192757"},{"key":"ref_39","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Tian, G., Qin, H., Liu, C., Xing, Y., Feng, Z., Xu, X., Liu, J., Lyu, M., Jiang, H., and Zhu, Z. (2023). Magnesium improved fruit quality by regulating photosynthetic nitrogen use efficiency, carbon\u2013nitrogen metabolism, and anthocyanin biosynthesis in \u2018Red Fuji\u2019 apple. Front. Plant Sci., 14.","DOI":"10.3389\/fpls.2023.1136179"},{"key":"ref_40","unstructured":"Bao, S.D. (2000). Soil and Agricultural Chemistry Analysis, China Agriculture Press. [3rd ed.]."},{"key":"ref_41","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"78","DOI":"10.5958\/2349-4433.2019.00014.X","article-title":"Effect of Different Sources and Concentrations of Pre-harvest Calcium and Boron Sprays on the Quality and Yield of Apple (Malus x domestica Borkh.)","volume":"7","author":"Khan","year":"2019","journal-title":"J. Krishi Vigyan"},{"key":"ref_42","first-page":"541","article-title":"Effects of spraying foliar magnesium fertilizer on photosynthetic properties and fruit quality of Malus domestica Borkh. cv. \u2018Fuji\u2019","volume":"43","author":"Yang","year":"2025","journal-title":"Plant Sci. J."},{"key":"ref_43","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"159","DOI":"10.1080\/00221589.1982.11515036","article-title":"The Application of Foliar Sprays Containing Nitrogen, Magnesium, Zinc and Boron to Apple Trees. II. Effects on the Mineral Composition and Quality of the Fruit","volume":"57","author":"Yogaratnam","year":"1982","journal-title":"J. Hortic. Sci."},{"key":"ref_44","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1104\/pp.24.1.1","article-title":"Copper Enzymes in Isolated Chloroplasts. Polyphenoloxidase in Beta Vulgaris","volume":"24","author":"Arnon","year":"1949","journal-title":"Plant Physiol."},{"key":"ref_45","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"232","DOI":"10.1038\/s41438-021-00661-5","article-title":"Genetic and phenotypic analyses reveal major quantitative loci associated to fruit size and shape traits in a non-flat peach collection (P. persica L. Batsch)","volume":"8","author":"Cirilli","year":"2021","journal-title":"Hortic. Res."},{"key":"ref_46","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"508","DOI":"10.1042\/bj0570508","article-title":"The estimation of carbohydrates in plant extracts by anthrone","volume":"57","author":"Yemm","year":"1954","journal-title":"Biochem. J."},{"key":"ref_47","unstructured":"Ranganna, S. (1986). Handbook of Analysis and Quality Control for Fruit and Vegetable Products, Tata McGraw-Hill."},{"key":"ref_48","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"38","DOI":"10.1038\/177038a0","article-title":"A New Method for determining Ketohexoses in the Presence of Aldohexoses","volume":"177","author":"Jermyn","year":"1956","journal-title":"Nature"},{"key":"ref_49","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"55","DOI":"10.1016\/S0021-9258(18)65623-6","article-title":"Analysis of hexose phosphates and sugar mixtures with the anthrone reagent","volume":"208","author":"Mokrasch","year":"1954","journal-title":"J. Biol. Chem."},{"key":"ref_50","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"555","DOI":"10.1016\/S0308-8146(98)00102-2","article-title":"The determination of flavonoid contents in mulberry and their scavenging effects on superoxide radicals","volume":"64","author":"Jia","year":"1999","journal-title":"Food Chem."},{"key":"ref_51","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"144","DOI":"10.5344\/ajev.1965.16.3.144","article-title":"Colorimetry of Total Phenolics with Phosphomolybdic-Phosphotungstic Acid Reagents","volume":"16","author":"Singleton","year":"1965","journal-title":"Am. J. Enol. Vitic."}],"container-title":["Plants"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2223-7747\/15\/18\/2873\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,21]],"date-time":"2026-09-21T11:53:51Z","timestamp":1789991631000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2223-7747\/15\/18\/2873"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,19]]},"references-count":51,"journal-issue":{"issue":"18","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,9]]}},"alternative-id":["plants15182873"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/plants15182873","relation":{},"ISSN":["2223-7747"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2223-7747","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,19]]}}}