Effect Of Calcium Nutrition Research Articles

Effect of calcium nutrition on growth and quality of processing potatoes

Effect of calcium nutrition on growth and quality of processing potatoes

The Effects of Calcium Nutrition on the Activities of Lactate Dehydrogenase, Alcohol Dehydrogenase and Other Enzymes in Melon (Cucumis melo L.) Seedlings Subjected to Flooding

With transient flooding followed by poor or slow drainage plant roots may become reduction conditions because the root zone was fully filled with water. This study was examined the effects of calcium treatment in the early growth stage on biochemical changes in leaves and roots of melon (Cucumis melo L.) seedlings kept under flooding condition for 72 h. The activities of lactate dehydrogenase more gradually enhanced in the roots than those of leaves of melon seedlings treated with calcium. The activities of alcohol dehydrogenase associated with alcohol fermentation under low oxygen conditions continuously increased in the leaves and roots of seedlings untreated with calcium under flooding at least 72 h but those was constant within at least 12 h in treated with calcium. These results showed that calcium supplying in the early growth stage mitigated alcohol fermentation of melon seedlings kept under flooding condition for 72 h. Activities of nitrate reductase and acid phosphatase in the leaves and roots of seedlings in treated with calcium somewhat higher than those of non-treated with calcium. The activities of sucrose phosphate synthase and fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase of leaves of seedlings in treated with calcium more higher than those of non-treated with calcium. These results indicated that calcium nutrition mitigate the reduction of activities of some enzymes of melon seedling kept under flooding condition for 72 h.

Effect of Calcium Nutrition on Reducing the Effects of Salinity on Tomato Plant

Effect of Calcium Nutrition on Reducing the Effects of Salinity on Tomato Plant

Yield and Disease Resistance of Six Tomato Cultivars Grown in Two Media and Three Calcium Concentrations

Calcium has been linked to disease resistance in fruits and vegetables. The effects of calcium nutrition on six hydroponically grown tomato cultivars (`Switch', `Match', `Blitz', `Caruso', `Trust', and `Celebrity') were evaluated in the fall of 1996. Disease resistance and yield were measured for plants grown in either perlite or pine bark mulch. Plants were fertilized with a 5N–11P–26K water-soluble fertilizer solution containing micronutrients and either 60, 120, or 185 mg·L–1 calcium. Disease resistance was determined by measuring disease lesion diameters on mature green harvested fruit 3 to 5 days after inoculating with Botrytis cinerea Pers.: Fr. There was no significant difference in disease when evaluated by medium, cultivar, or calcium treatment. Foliar analysis by Inductively Coupled Argon Plasma Atomic Emission Spectrophotometer (ICAP) indicated that leaf calcium content ranged from 27,000 to 54,000 μg·g–1 dry weight (leaf above fifth flower cluster), but was not significantly different when analyzed by medium, cultivar, or calcium treatment. There was no significant difference in marketable yield due to medium or calcium treatment. Among cultivars, `Trust' had the highest marketable yield at 2.7 kg per plant, which was significantly different from `Celebrity' at 1.6 kg per plant. This experiment suggests that a cheaper medium (pine bark) and lower calcium levels can be utilized in fall tomato production.

Effect of Calcium Nutrition on Disease Development and Latent Infection of Bacterial Wilt in Grafted Tomato Seedlings

To control bacterial wilt of tomato, grafting with resistant rootstocks widely prevails in Japan, but the disease has recently occurred even on grafted plants. Concerning this breakdown of resistance, the experiments were conducted to investigate the effect of Ca nutrition on disease development and latent infection of bacterial wilt in grafted tomato seedlings. Three levels of Ca (0.4, 4.4, or 20.4 mm) in a nutrient solution were applied to grafted seedlings (scion: `Momotarou', resistant rootstock: `Hawaii 7998') grown in a phytotron. One week after the Ca treatment, seedlings were inoculated with a 108 cfu/ml suspension of Ralstonia solanacearum by a stem puncture at the basal stem of the rootstock. The disease incidence was recorded for 21 days. In a second experiment, xylem exudates were collected from decapitated scions of the Ca-treated seedlings 5 days after inoculation. Populations of the pathogen in the exudates were counted by plating on a selective medium. Colonies isolated were reinoculated to susceptible seedlings to check the virulence. The high Ca treatment increased leaf and stem Ca contents, and significantly reduced the disease incidence. While Ca concentrations in the xylem exudates increased with the high Ca treatment, the populations of the pathogen in the exudates were high (>109 cfu/ml) even at the high Ca treatment. All the colonies isolated were virulent. These results showed that grafted tomato seedlings treated with a high Ca concentration were highly resistant to bacterial wilt, but latently infected.

The effect of calcium nutrition on the incidence of internal rust spot in the potato

SummaryTubers produced by potato plants grown in vermiculite and supplied with either 0, 1 or 3 mM calcium chloride solution developed brown necrotic lesions of internal rust spot. Plants supplied with 9 and 27 mM calcium chloride solution did not show the symptoms and had a substantially greater concentration of calcium in the tuber dry matter. It is concluded that internal rust spot is a physiological disorder associated with a low concentration of calcium in the affected tubers.