By: Santiago Cabezas -Product Manager Nutra•Agrospec Specialties.
The last season of cherry exports to China and other destination markets represented a major challenge for the national fruit industry. Quality and condition were subjected to significant challenges, such as withstanding more than 60 days of transport and storage prior to marketing.
This has undoubtedly put the nutritional programs applied on each farm to the test. However, the good news is that nutritional management at the orchard level is an approachable aspect for cherry producers, especially when it comes to increasing the firmness of the fruit and prolonging its post-harvest life.
Calcium, its contribution is fundamental
The role of calcium in plants is widely studied and we can comment that:
-It participates in the formation of the plasma membrane, cell wall and, with it, the structure of the plant and fruit.
-It reduces ethylene production during setting, a senescence hormone that goes against good post-harvest.
Adequate and timely calcium nutrition allows:
-Minimize physiological disorders of the fruit such as internal browning.
-Improve firmness and post-harvest condition of the fruits.
Sources of calcium
The so-called calcium oxides, which actually correspond to calcium hydroxides, are a source of high concentration of this nutrient and have the advantage of not providing other ions that can affect our production objectives. Unlike calcium carbonates, do not increase alkalinity or affect the fixation of macro and microelements.
Furthermore, calcium oxides do not significantly increase electrical conductivity or salinity, as does the case of sulphates, especially in situations of water scarcity. For this reason, the calcium oxides They are an excellent alternative for fertilizing via fertigation.
Calcium to the soil
Below we present the results of the study Calcium evaluation in cherry trees. Dr. José Ignacio Covarrubias, U. of Chile.
-Sources of calcium: calcium oxides.
-Dose: 2.1; 17.5 and 35 (CaO L/ha).
-Application period: in 100% of flower and post-set (pea-sized fruit, 10 mm).
-Assessment:
-After 35 days of storage at 0°C.
-After 35 days of storage at 0°C + 3 days at 22°C.
Effects were observed in:
-Bound calcium concentration.
-Firmness of the fruits.
-Browning of the pedicel.
According to the data obtained, it is concluded that calcium applied to the soil at the indicated times results in higher contents of bound calcium in fruit at harvest. It is also possible to observe improvements in firmness parameters (in this case, measured by a measuring device). Texture analyzer) and even lower values associated with pedicel browning due to cold weather.
On the other hand, it is worth highlighting that calcium applications to the soil promote root growth, since:
-They contribute to the flocculation of clays.
-They increase the porosity of the soil.
-They increase soil oxygenation.
This results in an improvement in the exploratory and absorption capacity of the roots, which is critical for the use of nutrients present in the soil, especially if the current rise and shortage of fertilizers is taken into consideration.
Acknowledgements
José Ignacio Covarrubias. PhD in Plant Nutrition, Professor at the University of Chile.
