Symptoms
Symptoms of calcium deficiency start on young leaves. They develop necrotic lesions on leaf tips and margins.
With ongoing Ca deficiency necrotic areas progress from tips and margins inwards.
Reasons
Calcium deficiency on broccoli leaf
Most soils contain enough calcium, but restricted uptake leads to calcium deficiency. High content of ammonium, potassium, magnesium or sodium in the soil and water stress (deficiency or excess) induce calcium deficiency.
Adequate Ca nutrition is crucial for crop quality and minimizes clubroot.
Broccoli - Necrosis
Symptoms
Symptoms of calcium deficiency start on young leaves. They develop necrotic lesions on leaf margins.
With ongoing Ca deficiency necrotic areas progress inwards.
Reasons
Calcium deficiency on broccoli leaf
Most soils contain enough calcium, but restricted uptake leads to calcium deficiency. High content of ammonium, potassium, magnesium or sodium in the soil and water stress (deficiency or excess) induce calcium deficiency.
Adequate Ca nutrition is crucial for crop quality and minimizes clubroot.
Broccoli - Growth retardation
Symptoms
Growth of affected plants is restricted.
Reasons
Calcium deficiency (right)
Most soils contain enough calcium, but restricted uptake leads to calcium deficiency. High content of ammonium, potassium, magnesium or sodium in the soil and water stress (deficiency or excess) induce calcium deficiency.
Adequate Ca nutrition is crucial for crop quality and minimizes clubroot.
Calcium deficiency made worse by
Acidic soils
Sandy or light soils (leaching)
Acid peat soils
Soils rich in sodium
Soils rich in aluminium
Drought conditions
Fruit high in nitrogen or potassium
Large fruit
Calcium is important for
Good root development
Key role for crop quality
Tolerance to biotic and abiotic stress
Improved storage quality and shelf life
Yara recommended fertilizers for Calcium
YaraLiva™ NITRABOR™
Broccoli:
Apply 5 gms per hill at transplanting. Follow up application of 5 gms per hill at head development (sarado).