Potassium supply coordinated nutrient accumulation, carbohydrate allocation and lignification of Tsoongiodendron odorum during autumn acclimation

Potassium supply coordinated nutrient accumulation, carbohydrate allocation and lignification of Tsoongiodendron odorum during autumn acclimation | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Potassium supply coordinated nutrient accumulation, carbohydrate allocation and lignification of Tsoongiodendron odorum during autumn acclimation Wen Gan, Xinyu Deng, Yujun Liu, Li Liu, Mei Yang, Yuanyuan Xu This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-8220747/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Published Journal Publication published 10 Mar, 2026 Read the published version in BMC Plant Biology → Version 1 posted 11 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Autumn represents a critical physiological stage for evergreen broad-leaved species, marking the transition from active growth to nutrient storage and tissue lignification. Potassium (K) is essential for nutrient balance, carbohydrate metabolism, and structural reinforcement in plants, but its role in autumn acclimation of evergreen woody species is poorly characterized. In this study, we investigated how a gradient of K supply affected nutrient stoichiometry, carbohydrate allocation, and lignification in seedlings of Tsoongiodendron odorum during autumn growth. Increasing K availability enhanced root activity and nutrient acquisition, resulting in changes in the proportion of N, P and K in roots, stems and leaves. Moderate K supply optimized nutrient stoichiometry and promoted the accumulation of non-structural carbohydrates, particularly soluble sugars and starch, which serve as precursors and metabolic resources for cell-wall biosynthesis. Consistently, lignin content and stem thickening were substantially increased under adequate K supply, indicating enhanced structural reinforcement as a physiological strategy for overwintering. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) demonstrated that the effects of K on lignification were mediated by coordinated nutrient–carbon regulation rather than by nutrient concentration alone. Consequently, in this study, autumn application of 105 mg·plant⁻¹ K optimizes growth of Tsoongiodendron odorum seedling, nutrient and carbohydrate reserves, and stem lignification, thereby improved seedling quality and overwintering potential. This study provides new insights into the role of K nutrition in the autumn acclimation of evergreen tree species, highlighting K as a key regulator of nutrient–carbon interactions, and offers a theoretical basis for precision nutrient management in subtropical nurseries. Tsoongiodendron odorum Autumn acclimation Potassium nutrition carbohydrate metabolism Lignification Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Published Journal Publication published 10 Mar, 2026 Read the published version in BMC Plant Biology → Version 1 posted Editorial decision: Revision requested 12 Jan, 2026 Reviews received at journal 05 Jan, 2026 Reviews received at journal 16 Dec, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 11 Dec, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 09 Dec, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 09 Dec, 2025 Reviewers invited by journal 09 Dec, 2025 Editor assigned by journal 09 Dec, 2025 Editor invited by journal 05 Dec, 2025 Submission checks completed at journal 04 Dec, 2025 First submitted to journal 04 Dec, 2025 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-8220747","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":559012026,"identity":"10b0d749-16d1-4740-9316-c3abc0d9ab45","order_by":0,"name":"Wen Gan","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Key Laboratory for Cultivation and Utilization of Subtropical Forest Plantation","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Wen","middleName":"","lastName":"Gan","suffix":""},{"id":559012028,"identity":"6643473f-f8aa-4501-84f9-58f3a2022d8a","order_by":1,"name":"Xinyu Deng","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Key Laboratory for 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