Articles
44Ca foliar uptake during fruit development in sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.)
Article number
1408_56
Pages
417 – 424
Language
English
Abstract
In sweet cherry, Calcium (Ca) sprays are used to mitigate fruit cracking and improve fruit firmness and storage.
However, few information about Ca uptake by developing fruits is available.
To test this, an experiment using the stable isotope 44Ca in the sweet cherry combination ‘Lapins’/‘Colt’ was carried out during 2019-2020, in the Central Valley of Chile (34°0’ S, 71°41’ W). Fruits on spurs were labeled at Stage I (SI, 28 days after full bloom, DAFB), Stage II (SII, 45 DAFB) and Stage III (SIII, 65 DAFB) of fruit development.
Crop load was adjusted before pit hardening (25 DAFB), leaving two fruits per spur.
Developing fruits were painted with a brush using 44CaCl2 (0.05%, 97 atom%). Each labeling date (i.e., treatment) considered a different group of similar fruiting spurs (FS; n=7) on the 2-year-old wood of individual branches.
Labeled fruits were removed 48 h after 44Ca enrichment and at harvest (87 DAFB). 44Ca uptake by fruits was observed throughout the whole period of evaluation, although the enrichment levels varied with the timing of labeling and the sampling date.
After 48 h, fruits were highly enriched and significant differences in the enrichment level (
44Ca%0) and the 44Ca concentration (µg 44Ca g-1 DW fruit) were observed among developmental stages.
The earlier the 44Ca labeling, the higher the recoveries in fruit.
At harvest, 44Ca recoveries in fruits were considerably lower and no significant differences for44Ca%0, 44Ca concentration and 44Ca contents were observed among labeling dates.
Additionally, significant differences were observed between labeling dates and the recoveries for 44Ca%0, 44Ca concentration and 44Ca contents.
Our results indicate that Ca uptake by fruits decreases through the growing season and, therefore, the earlier the foliar application, the better.
Further studies considering the role of leaves in Ca uptake and translocation to fruits are required to optimize Ca nutrition in sweet cherry, which is key to improve fruit quality.
However, few information about Ca uptake by developing fruits is available.
To test this, an experiment using the stable isotope 44Ca in the sweet cherry combination ‘Lapins’/‘Colt’ was carried out during 2019-2020, in the Central Valley of Chile (34°0’ S, 71°41’ W). Fruits on spurs were labeled at Stage I (SI, 28 days after full bloom, DAFB), Stage II (SII, 45 DAFB) and Stage III (SIII, 65 DAFB) of fruit development.
Crop load was adjusted before pit hardening (25 DAFB), leaving two fruits per spur.
Developing fruits were painted with a brush using 44CaCl2 (0.05%, 97 atom%). Each labeling date (i.e., treatment) considered a different group of similar fruiting spurs (FS; n=7) on the 2-year-old wood of individual branches.
Labeled fruits were removed 48 h after 44Ca enrichment and at harvest (87 DAFB). 44Ca uptake by fruits was observed throughout the whole period of evaluation, although the enrichment levels varied with the timing of labeling and the sampling date.
After 48 h, fruits were highly enriched and significant differences in the enrichment level (
44Ca%0) and the 44Ca concentration (µg 44Ca g-1 DW fruit) were observed among developmental stages.The earlier the 44Ca labeling, the higher the recoveries in fruit.
At harvest, 44Ca recoveries in fruits were considerably lower and no significant differences for
44Ca%0, 44Ca concentration and 44Ca contents were observed among labeling dates.Additionally, significant differences were observed between labeling dates and the recoveries for
44Ca%0, 44Ca concentration and 44Ca contents.Our results indicate that Ca uptake by fruits decreases through the growing season and, therefore, the earlier the foliar application, the better.
Further studies considering the role of leaves in Ca uptake and translocation to fruits are required to optimize Ca nutrition in sweet cherry, which is key to improve fruit quality.
Publication
Authors
M. Matteo, J.P. Zoffoli, M. Ayala
Keywords
enrichment, stable isotope, calcium, foliar nutrition, quality, leaves, sprays
Groups involved
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