Calcium and its relationship to blossom‐end rot in tomato

Abstract

Absorption, transport and redistribution of calcium in higher plants is summarized.Requeriments and roles of the element both at the molecular and physiological level are discussed.A review of the literature on the occurence of blossom-end rot is presented next as well as a summary of the factors which influence the disorder.After drawing the conclusion that lack of calcium in the fruit is the immediate cause of blossom-end rot an attempt is made to present a conciliatory picture of the apparently divergent data and ideas found in the literature sampled for review. including photocopying, microfilming, and recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. Downloaded by [Monash University Library] at 01:22 05 February 2015 274 MALAVOLTA ET AL.seem to indicate that the diffusion process plays a major role in supplying the element when compared with root interception and mass flow; the diffusion coeficient, D, is of the order of 3xlO~7 cm 2 /sec as determined by Spiegler and Coryell 2 . Ca concentration in the soil solution shows a ranger of 0.5 -38 moles/liter χ 10 3 for all soils; in acid soils the corresponding value is 3.4 3 ; the possibility of absorption throught root exchange cannot therefore be neglected; this is in agreement with the fact that Ca uptake is less fast than water entry into the root 1 *.Possible modes of absorption of nutrients fall into the outline: (1) diffusions (simple or Donnan); (2) exchanges (adsorption or contact); (3) metabolic accumulation; only metabolic influx requires simultaneous energy supply, being accomplished, on the other hand, through the operation of a suitable carrier. Contra rywise to the observed with phosphate, recent experiments with excised rice and bean roots failed to show any significant reduction in the uptake of calcium due either to the absence of air or to the presence of respiratory inhibitors such as cyanide and fluoride; in the case of rice roots the uptake was also insensitive to increments in the temperature from 2 to 409C 5 . The literatu re does not provide Km values for Ca in any species. Ca absorption is inhibited in the presence of Rb, K, Na, Al and Mg. Limited evidence indicates that upward transported of Ca to the shoots is both polar and metabolically mediated 6 . Ca has been listed by Bukovac and Wittwer 7 as one of the phloemimmobile elements, together with Li, Sr, Ba and B. The roles of calcium The calcium requirement of crops is a function of the family, genus and species considered, as well as of environmental factors, namely soil and climatic conditions. Athough a Ca concentration of 0.5% in the dry matter is considered an adequate level for most crops 8 , it is generally known that legumes have a requirement which is five times higher than that of grasses. The amounts of Ca taken up under soil conditions to provide average yields vary between 10 and 100 kg per hectare, a tenfold range; the possibiliDownloaded by [Monash University Library] at 01:22 05 February 2015 Ca IN TOMATO ...

Comparative Analysis on Blossom-end Rot Incidence in Two Tomato Cultivars in Relation to Calcium Nutrition and Fruit Growth

“…Blossom-end rot (BER) has generally been reported as a calcium (Ca)-related physiological disorder as there is a well-established relationship between Ca deficiency and incidence of BER in fruit De Freitas et al, 2014;Lyon et al, 1942;Malavolta et al, 1975;Paiva et al, 1998;Raleigh and Chucka, 1944;Taylor et al, 2004). Recent studies have reported that BER can be triggered by a cellular local-environmental or genetic factors may lead to a reduction of Ca uptake into either the root or fruit, or inadequate Ca translocation within the plant or fruit, which finally results in the development of BER.…”

Nutrição mineral de hortaliças. XXXVII. deficiências de macronutrientes em cubiu (Solanum topiro Humb. & Bonpl.)

“…Este tratamento diminuiu o desenvolvimento das plantas. 0 aspecto final da planta era de murchamento, o que está de acordo com MALAVOLTA (1975). Houve alguma semelhança com os sintomas de deficiência deste nutriente descritos por HAAG et alii (1978) para o jiló.…”

Calcium nutrition of the sugarbeet

“…The relationship of Ca to the growth and development of plants has been reviewed recently by Jones and Lunt, 1967;Burstrom, 1968;Shear and Faust, 1970;Carolus, 1975;Malavolta et al, 1975;Shear, 1975;Smith, 1975 andWallace andSoufl, 1975. From these reviews it is quite clear that the specific function Of Ca is largely unknown, although it is believed to be Involved in the maintenance of pla3ma membrane integrity, Low Ca level had no effect on dark respiratory C0 2 evolution, leaf diffusion resistance and on mesophyll resistance to COj.…”