Fortified with three technologies to boost absorption, Calcium+ is an innovative new superior foliar product providing a highly cost effective solution to avoiding calcium (Ca) deficiencies in fruit and vegetable crops.
Developed by ICL Specialty Fertilizers, Calcium+ contains a blend of Ca combined with amino acids, plant sugars, lignates and an industry leading surfactant - all helping to facilitate absorption through the leaf epidermis.
Calcium is an essential plant nutrient and it is important to reduce possible deficiency within the plant or produce with regular applications in an available form.
“Ca deficiency can be caused by an insufficient supply in the growing media or soil, but is more frequently a result of low transpiration,” explains Scott Garnett, ICL specialty agriculture manager for UK and Ireland. “This can be caused by water shortages, which slow transportation of Ca to the plant, poor uptake of the mineral through the stem or by excessive usage of potassium or nitrogen fertilizers. Acidic, sandy, or coarse soils often contain less Ca. Soil can also contain insoluble forms of Ca, unusable by the plant, with high phosphorus containing soils particularly susceptible."
Highly effective natural chelating agents, amino acids are essential building blocks of all living matter and in plants play a key role in photosynthesis. Calcium+ is fortified with four amino acids - glycine, glutamine acid, mono sodium glutamate and L-Arginine – which all enhance Ca uptake. Glycine and glutamic acid are fundamental metabolites in the formation of vegetable tissue and chlorophyll synthesis, while L-Arginine increases synthesis of flower and fruit related hormones.
The plant sugar, dextrose monohydrate, is an immediately available plant food source, while the non-ionic surfactant − with excellent spreading and wetting properties − further improves the speed of Ca uptake and coverage on the leaf surface.
“Ca deficiency can lead to conditions including blossom end rot, tipburn, bitter pit in apples as well as localized tissue necrosis leading to stunted plant growth and even death of terminal buds and root tips,” warns Scott Garnett. “Ensuring crops are not suffering from Ca deficiency at key growth stages has an impact not only on yield and quality, but on the shelf life of fresh produce.”
For more information
ICL
Scott Garnett, ICL specialty agriculture manager
T: 07584 324778
Dave Steward, ICL marketing manager UK & Ireland
T: 01473 237136/ 07748 111729