Calcium is found in the soil. When there is water, it is absorbed by the roots, rises through the xylem and reaches the fruit.
It seems simple, but there is much more behind it.
We must first remember why this element is so important to us in agricultural production:
- He Calcium plays a relevant role in the pre- and post-harvest physiology of most fruits.Its main functions include:
- Secondary messenger in signal transduction (such as in stomatal closure or opening).
- Maintenance and regulation of cell membrane permeability (important, for example, in root cells for their ability to absorb and retain nutrients).
- Cementing and structural reinforcement of the cell wall constituents (relevant, for example, when we talk about firmness in fruits).
Now, we need to understand how calcium gets into the soil and when it is available:
- The Factors for calcium to be present and available in the soil are:
- Contribution from soil minerals (calcium carbonates, calcium phosphates, calcium sulphates and aluminium-calcium silicates).
- Soil pH (competition with H+ under acidic conditions, precipitation with carbonates under alkaline conditions).
- Soil CEC and percentage of calcium saturation in the soil (capacity to retain calcium and exchange it with the solution).
- Type of clay dominant in the soil (different clays have different CEC, in addition to being able to “sequester” calcium in the case of expansive clays).
And, once it is available, we must know the conditions for it to enter the plant:
- The Factors that most influence calcium intake and distribution to the fruit are:
- Plant transpiration or mass flow rate through the xylem (greater transpiration means greater calcium absorption).
- Fruit transpiration (which is greater when the fruit is newly set and decreases as the fruit develops)
- Competition between ion exchange sites within the xylem (which is not the same as soil exchange sites (CEC), with a fraction of the calcium being fixed along the way).
- Formation of poorly soluble or insoluble complexes within the plant (such as calcium oxalates within the vacuole).
So, for calcium to reach the fruit and contribute to its quality, there are many steps, processes and conditions.
At Gowan, we understand that it is not possible to modify everything (such as fruit transpiration), but we can, through our tools, improve the determining factors for calcium to be present and available for plants.
Our vision is that there is “a calcium for every situation”. If the supply of calcium in the soil is high but there is little availability, Calcicrop (calcium complexed with lignosulfonate) is able to provide and mobilize calcium, facilitating absorption through the roots. If the supply of calcium is poor or insufficient (due to pH or soil type), and I need to increase the amount of the element, Cal Flow (calcium oxide with 58.8 % w/v) is the right tool.
References:
- Hocking B, Tyerman SD, Burton RA, Gilliham M. Fruit Calcium: Transport and Physiology. Front Plant Sci. 2016 Apr 29;7:569. doi: 10.3389/fpls.2016.00569. PMID: 27200042; PMCID: PMC4850500.
- Steinhorst L, Kudla J. Signaling in cells and organisms – calcium holds the line. Curr Opin Plant Biol. 2014 Dec;22:14-21. doi: 10.1016/j.pbi.2014.08.003. Epub 2014 Sep 16. PMID: 25195171.
- White PJ, Broadley MR. Calcium in plants. Ann Bot. 2003 Oct;92(4):487-511. doi:10.1093/aob/mcg164. Epub 2003 Aug 21. PMID: 12933363; PMCID: PMC4243668.
- Winkler A and Knoche M. Calcium and the physiology of sweet cherries: A review. Scientia Horticulturee. 2019. Volume 245, Pages 107-115, ISSN 0304-4238. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scienta.2018.10.012.
