Calcium: Improved Plant Health and Nutrition Through 4R Management
Calcium is an important nutrient for all crops. Soil calcium concentration and availability to crops is influenced by pH, CEC, soil type, and the concentration of other minerals in the soil. The solubility of the calcium source is important to consider when making a calcium application. The source, rate, timing, placement, and environmental conditions must be considered to implement the 4Rs for improved plant performance, yield, and crop quality, according to an article at 4R Nutrient Stewardship.
In the 1958 first edition of Soil Fertility and Animal Health, the author called calcium “the premier of the soil’s nutrient elements,” noting the importance of calcium for production of proteins, protection against microbial pathogens, cellular growth, and plant reproduction. Specifically, calcium provides stability and rigidity of plant cell walls and is essential for root development and function (St. John et al., 2013). Dicotyledonous plants (like cotton and soybeans) have a greater calcium requirement (0.5 to 2.0% of dry matter; St. John et al., 2013) than monocotyledonous (corn and grasses) plants (0.3 to 1.25%) and are therefore more likely to exhibit calcium deficiency and disorders. Generally, calcium has low mobility in plants since it becomes a component of cell walls and membranes. Visual deficiency symptoms occur at the new growing points for both roots and shoots. Additionally, poor leaf canopy, bud development, or the shedding of blossoms result without available calcium.
Calcium concentration in the soil varies depending on soil type and mineralogy. Crops grown on sandy soils with low cation exchange capacity (CEC) are more likely to exhibit calcium deficiency although calcium deficiency can occur in all soils. The availability of soil calcium is related to the calcium concentration from the soil CEC and the soil pH, which can influence calcium availability from mineral sources like calcium carbonate. When creating a calcium management program, it is important to know not just the soil’s calcium content, but also the solubility of the calcium entering the soil solution for root uptake. Insoluble calcium sources may not meet the needs of the plant if the soil pH is not acidic.
Continue reading at 4R Nutrient Stewardship.
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