Calcium can strongly affect fruit shelf life and firmness. Calcium must reach high-demand areas in a fruit, such as the flesh, because those areas are commonly affected by calcium deficiencies. Deficiencies may lead to cell walls becoming thin which, in turn, leads to fruit rot and break down. Metalosate® Calcium contains chelated calcium that allows calcium to reach the areas of the fruit with the highest growth demands. This offers the benefits of calcium to these areas that are often harder to reach with other calcium applications.
In Southern California a Thompson seedless grape vineyard was split in half to test effectiveness of various calcium applications. One half of the vineyard received an application of two quarts of polyhydroxycarboxylic acid with calcium nitrate. The other half received one pint of Metalosate Calcium . These applications were repeated three times during the growing season.
Despite using one fourth the amount of Calcium as the other product, Metalosate Calcium had 30 ppm more calcium in the fruit than the calcium nitrate.
Metalosate Calcium also reduced shatter and increased shelf life in table grapes. The calcium from the other product stayed on the skin of the grapes and did not penetrate to the flesh of the fruit. Growers also noticed a decrease in botrytis bunch rot due to a stronger skin on the fruit. Metalosate Calcium can be added with gibberellic acid sprays, insecticides and fungicides, and has been shown to have a synergistic effect with many of these products. For more information about Metalosate Calcium contact your local Balchem representative.
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