Calcium is an essential nutrient in the process of crop cultivation, and every year many growers apply calcium fertilizer to their own crops. Almost 80% of fruit trees and vegetables have a high demand for calcium. The development of crop roots and the growth of stems and leaves require a large amount of calcium. Therefore, in order to produce high-quality fruits and sell them at a high price, it is very important to supplement calcium well.
1、 The importance of calcium fertilizer
The importance of calcium lies in its involvement in the composition of cell walls in the form of pectin calcium. Lack of calcium prevents the formation of cell walls, affects cell division, and hinders the formation of new cells. In other words, whether the fruit is beautiful or not is closely related to calcium. In addition, calcium can also affect the growth of root and stem meristem tissues, affecting elongation growth, wood firmness, seed germination, and the development of seeds and roots. Calcium can prevent substances from seeping out of cells and fluid cells, keep the membrane from breaking down, and prevent fruit from becoming soft and aging.
2、 Why does supplementing calcium fertilizer still lead to calcium deficiency?
In general, the effective calcium content in soil is less than 10 μ Mol/kg is judged as calcium deficiency. Many farmers may report that calcium fertilizer has been used up, but calcium deficiency still occurs. The reason may be due to:
1. Poor quality of calcium fertilizer or improper use period;
2. Physiological calcium deficiency. The so-called physiological calcium deficiency refers to the fact that the soil itself contains sufficient calcium, but some factors that affect transpiration or root growth prevent calcium from being absorbed by crops normally. The main factors causing calcium deficiency include temperature, soil pH, soil moisture, and fertilization;
Temperature: too low, low transpiration force; If the temperature is too high, crop stomata will close, making it impossible to proceed naturally;
Soil pH: Soil acidification increases the concentration of soluble salts, making it more difficult for roots to absorb calcium. Strong acidity and high soil salinity inhibit the conduction and absorption of water and calcium;
Soil moisture: Excessive soil moisture can cause root rot and necrosis, while drought can easily cause root dehydration and plant wilting. In addition, calcium mobility is worse in this situation, exacerbating the difficulty of root absorption of calcium;
Improper fertilization: Excessive use of ammonium nitrogen fertilizer can inhibit the absorption of calcium fertilizer.
3、 How can calcium supplementation be made less difficult?
1. Comprehensive management is very important
For facility agriculture with controllable temperature, adjusting it to an appropriate range can help with calcium absorption; Soil moisture should not be too dry or too wet, otherwise it will affect the growth of roots and the absorption of calcium; Cultivate developed root systems through measures such as improving soil structure or moderate tillage.
2. The use of root calcium fertilizer
At present, calcium fertilizers on the market mainly include lime, calcium nitrate, etc. Calcium nitrate has a high solubility and can be used as water-soluble fertilizer for flushing or spraying; The use of lime needs to be cautious, as long-term application of lime can easily cause an increase in soil pH value. It should be noted that the application of calcium fertilizer in soil can be reused at intervals after continuous use for 2-3 years. It is important to avoid using calcium fertilizer for consecutive years. When using calcium fertilizer, it should be combined with organic fertilizer as much as possible to have a good effect on the absorption of calcium fertilizer.
3. Cleverly using foliar fertilizer
The combination of roots and leaves, with the root being the main supplement and the leaf surface being the auxiliary. At the same time as applying sufficient base fertilizer, it is recommended to choose chelated calcium fertilizer (such as sugar alcohol calcium, amino acid calcium, etc.). chelated calcium fertilizer can break down obstacles, conduct in the phloem, and thereby improve calcium absorption efficiency.
4. The spraying period is crucial
Choosing the optimal period for calcium nutrition in crops for foliar spraying can have a very good calcium supplementation effect. Generally, crops reach a peak in calcium demand during the young fruit stage, during which they can achieve synchronous absorption of calcium on both the leaf and fruit surfaces. A small amount of foliar calcium supplementation can be carried out multiple times.
5. Simultaneous implementation of multiple nutrients
When applying calcium fertilizer, the foliar surface can simultaneously increase nutrients such as potassium, zinc, and boron, which have a mutually promoting effect on calcium absorption and improve nutrient utilization efficiency.
