EFFECTS OF CA FOLIAR FERTILIZERS ON FRUIT QUALITY OF HIGHBUSH BLUEBERRY

Calcium is critical to blueberry fruit production, but its availability to the plants is sometimes limited.
A trial was conducted to determine the effects of Ca foliar fertilizers, including Calciogreen (CaO), CaCl₂, Stopit, and Hascon, on fruit quality in highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L. ‘Bluecrop’). Plants were 4 years old and grown in peat soil low in available nutrients.
Each Ca treatment was applied in three or four applications, beginning about a month prior to harvest.
Among treatments, Stopit produced slightly larger fruit than unfertilized controls, while CaCl₂ reduced shikimic acid concentration in the fruit compared to the control treatment and reduced fumaric acid concentration in the fruit compared to all other treatments.
However, there was no difference among treatments in concentration of fruit sugars (sucrose, glucose, and fructose) or citric acid.
In general, none of the Ca fertilizers had much effect on fruit quality and, therefore, do not appear to be economical to apply.

IX International Vaccinium Symposium

D. Koron, K. Šturm, S. Pavlin

Vaccinium corymbosum, foliar fertilizers, Ca, fruit quality, sugars, organic acids

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2009.810.93