Foliar Calcium Sets the Stage for a Productive Yield
In a recent article from the FBSciences’ agronomy team, we discussed foliar phosphorus applications and how they can be used as a bridge between soil applications during high phosphorus demand periods to increase productivity and ROI for growers. The same concept and strategy apply to calcium (Ca) fertility. Ca applications must be addressed with well thought out soil applications, and then supplemented at key growth stages, where Ca is at peak demand. In this article, we will discuss these key growth stages, and how a foliar application of a well-formulated Ca product can address these crucial stages and set the crop up for a successful and productive season. We can simplify Ca needs into three main categories: Photosynthesis, Cell Integrity, and Stress Signaling.
Photosynthesis
Ca is critical in two stages of photosynthesis within the crop. The first is the acquisition of CO2. The role of Ca in stomate efficiency allows the plant to acquire C02 effectively, thus securing the main raw material for photosynthesis. The second is in supplying water needs for photosynthesis. The plant needs to split the water molecule to supply hydrogen that is essential for photosynthesis. Ca is a key component of an enzyme in this process. Ca is essential when maximizing the photosynthetic process, specifically during grand growth periods of the crop, and fruit bulking and maturations.
Cell Integrity
Cell Integrity may be the most significant role of Ca in agriculture, especially in fruit and vegetable production. Ca is the main nutrient that provides cell strength and integrity in the plant. This creates more marketable fruits, nuts, and vegetables that have fewer external and internal defects, better shelf life, increased nutrient density and taste. Foliar applications of Ca early in the flowering to fruit development stage, usually in the first 1 to 3 weeks after pollination, can ensure the creation of a large number of cells with excellent strength and integrity.
Stress Signaling
In the last two decades, we have learned that Ca plays a unique role in the signaling and mitigation of biotic and abiotic stresses. Ca-dependent processes are the first to be optimized when a plant senses external or internal stresses due to diseases, insects, temperature, moisture, light intensity, salinity, mechanical injuries, and more. This knowledge is critical when designing a strong Ca nutrition program, which will incorporate both soil and foliar applications, applied as a preventative measure ahead of biotic and/or abiotic stress events.
Product Recommendations
CellMate® Foliar Plus Mo is a premium, foliar-applied calcium product with boron and molybdenum, built with our proprietary biostimulant technology FBS Transit®. CellMate Foliar plus Mo provides plant-available nutrients that are complexed with low molecular weight organic acids for rapid absorption through the leaf tissue. Though calcium and boron are present in the soil, they are often tied-up and unavailable to plants. CellMate Foliar Plus Mo bypasses these tie-ups by promoting the rapid uptake, absorption, and translocation of nutrients within the plant.
FBSciences’ CN Compatible line of products is designed to mix perfectly with calcium nitrate fertilizers, including CAN-17 and CN9. The CN Compatible line brings together the performance and technology of our premium products and optimizes them for for outstanding tank compatibility.
As growers apply calcium nitrate fertilizers, incompatibility with other products in the tank has always been a challenge. ZiCAN Soil provides the power of FBSciences’ premium zinc product Zicron® Soil in a product designed to mix perfectly with calcium nitrate products, including CAN-17 and CN-9. Calcium and Zinc play critical roles in the plant’s mitigation of abiotic stresses and photosynthesis.
