Calcium is important early in the season for root and shoot elongation as it is heavily involved in cell division. Soluble calcium must be continuously available from early in the season to assure proper canopy growth and better root architecture. Nitrate nitrogen is the most efficient form of N especially early in the season when soils are cold. YaraLiva® Calcium Nitrate delivers soluble calcium and nitrate nitrogen for your crop’s early establishment needs.
Calcium is key throughout the life of the plant, right through to harvest. Roots need calcium for growth and a consistent supply is directly related to early fruit growth, healthy cell division, and the overall strength and health of fruits and vegetables. Alongside potassium, nitrogen is the plant nutrient required in greatest quantities. Nitrogen is key for chlorophyll production and plays a major role in cell division, growth of new tissues and root system development.
The preferred form of nitrogen for plant uptake is nitrate, and plants can be susceptible to ammonium-nitrogen toxicity, especially in cool wet soils. Higher plants, including many fruit and vegetable species, are especially sensitive to ammonium. Nitrogen sources in the form of urea or ammonium take time to convert to nitrate in the soil, leaving plants vulnerable. With fully soluble calcium and nitrate-nitrogen, YaraLiva products guarantee these critical nutrients are quickly and efficiently available to crops.
YaraLiva + Boron treatment yielded an additional 42 CTW/acre, with a return on investment of $ 315/ac. The nitrogen use efficiency improved by 18% compared to the grower's standard program.
YaraLiva TROPICOTE treatment yielded additional 24 CTW/acre, with a return on investment of $180/ac. The nitrogen use efficiency improved by 8% compared to the grower's standard program.
In this trial, the Yara program including YaraLiva Calcium Nitrate yielded additional 95 CTW/acre, with a return on investment of $ 581/ac. The nitrogen use efficiency improved by 32% compared to the grower's standard program.
Seed grown potatoes treated with YaraLiva CN-9 increased marketable yield, as shown by this trial.
Calcium is essential for proper plant growth and plays an important role in potato storage and quality. Inadequate availability of calcium can lead to increased soft rot, internal brown spot, hollow heart and bruising. Tuber size and number are also affected by calcium deficiency. Research shows that tuber calcium is increased by placing soluble Ca near tubers and stolons during bulking. The result is improved potato quality and storability.
Potato soft rot due to calcium deficiency.
Bruising on potato tubers from a calcium-deficient plant.
Storage rot on the left, healthy tuber on the right.
Season after season, growers are faced with a variety of environmental stresses that are simply out of the industries' control. While nature and weather will take its course, with YaraLiva Calcium Nitrate growers can give their plants and trees the strength needed to protect against environmental stresses such as heat, drought, salinity and excessive sodium.
Heat stress damages plants by what is called “oxidative stress” which is due to the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) such as hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and the oxide ion (O2-). These ROS compounds damage plant membranes, proteins, and RNA and DNA. Calcium application helps reduce the formation of these two key ROS species and the damage from heat stress.
Biotron studies from Wisconsin University show that plants with adequate calcium produced 1.0 kg of tubers/plant, while plants without adequate Ca were heat-stressed and produced 0.7 kg of tubers/plant, a yield reduction of 30%.
Crops suffering from water stress are damaged by Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) such as hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and the oxide ion (O2-) that form in response to stress. These ROS compounds damage plant membranes, proteins, and RNA and DNA. Calcium reduces the concentration and activity of these ROS compounds and thereby reduces the damage from water stress.
Sodium suppresses root growth and calcium helps crop roots overcome the sodium damage. Increasing calcium supply increased root growth at both low and high sodium concentration.
Research shows that applying calcium on potatoes can significantly reduce the incidence of internal brown spot (IBS).
| Calcium applied | Peel calcium | IBS |
| Lbs Ca/ac | % | % |
| 0 | 0.11 | 60 |
| 75 | 0.13 | 37 |
| 225 | 0.15 | 17 |
