PRESENT ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT, VOL. 7, no. 1, 2013 DISTRIBUTION OF TWO ELEMENTS (P, K) WITH NUTRITION ROLE IN SOILS OF FLTICENI AND SÂRCA APPLE-GROWING AREAS (ROMANIA) Ionu Mihai Prundeanu 1 , Ovidiu Gabriel Iancu 2 , Nicolae Buzgar 3 Key words: mineral elements, orchard soil, fruit trees. Abstract: The present paper analyses the distribution of two elements (K and P) with nutrition role in the soils of the apple orchards located in the NE of Romania. Three types of soil samples were collected; topsoil (0-20 cm) from the apple-tree rows, soil samples from the 20-40 cm depth interval and topsoil (0-20 cm) from the middle of the apple tree rows. Soil analyses were performed by means of EDXRF at the Geology department of “Al. I. Cuza” University from Iai. K and P concentrations were obtained from the K 2 O and P 2 O 5 total content in soils. Using specialized software distribution maps were created. The distribution tendency of the two elements shows that there is a quantifiable accumulation closer both to surface and the apple tree rows. The soil supply with P and the linear correlations between the elements and pH and CaCO 3 were also determined. Introduction Considering the content and their role in plants, K and P are included in the “major elements” group (Madjar et al., 2009). Although they are present in small quantities in the composition of the living tissues, there were identified over 800 enzymes which contain mineral elements. For the fruit trees, some elements are useful in high quantities (tens of kg/ha), this being also the case of K and P (Voiculescu et al., 2001). One of the main elements with role in the fruit tree nutrition is potassium. Soil concentrations in this element are controlled by the presence of K minerals, weathering and the leaching of the element. In case of acid soils, like the ones present on the RPCFG (Research and Production Centre of Fruit-Growing) Flticeni surface, K ions have a catalytic 1, 2, 3 „Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University of Iai, Faculty of Geography and Geology, Department of Geology, 20A, Carol I Boulevard 700505, Iai, Romania, prundeanu.ionut@gmail.com, ogiancu@uaic.ro, nicolae.buzgar@uaic.ro