[APD] Re: Ca and chelators

[Thomas Barr <tcbiii at earthlink_net>]

"The calcium ion is very immobile within the plant. Calcium only moves upward in the plant from the roots through the xylem vessel by way of the water transpiration stream. Since the leaves have a larger surface to volume ratio than the fruit, leaves transpire more water and therefore most of the calcium goes to the leaves and never reaches the fruit. Fruit cell tissue become critically deficient of calcium allowing for breakdown of the cell wall. The cell leaks sugars, pathogens and fungi feed on it and decay sets in. "

So do we grow submersed fruit?
Is transpiration occuring submersed plants?

"During rapid plant growth, the calcium can not move from the root to the fruit fast enough to ensure adequate tissue calcium. During heat stress periods, very little water is moving in the plant, therefore calcium is not being translocated to vital cell tissue. In periods of high humidity, plants are transpiring less, again very little calcium is moving, but cells are actively growing and continually calling for calcium. Disorders begin to appear. "

I think we can safely assume our humidity is 100%.
Also, we do not need to move the Ca up to the leaf/fruit etc, it's already there.
That is a huge problem with terrestrial applications to submersed aquatic plants.
The  terrestrial plants don't have access typically to foliar fertilizers unless you spray them. 

"Another factor to consider is ,since calcium only moves into the fruit during the cell division phase,  which in many cases is a few weeks after bloom, the plant can not absorb and translocate calcium quick enough, so the fruit cells become deficient. As the fruit proceeds into fruit growth and development phase, the calcium is further diluted. Large fruit are more susceptible. "

As abaove, not growing fruit submersed.  

"What about CaCL and other inorganic salt calcium formulation? 

CaCl is very corrosive"

Most salts are:-)
In water it's not that bad for our plants:-)
 
"CaCl is a highly concentrated salt that may burn leaves and fruit "

If you dilute the stuff this will not happen, what are they thinking?
Why put this in there at all? This is a given with any concentrated form.

"Inorganic salts are in an ionic form and must have surface ion exchange to be absorbed, making them very inefficient to be absorbed by the leaf or fruit"

Add water then it can go into the stomata and any point along the leaf/root system so 100%... even more than 100% if you considered the internal stomatal regions.
 
"Once entering the leaf the calcium quickly forms insoluble compounds that can not be translocated within the plant "

??I thought they said it was very inefficicent to enter the leaf in the above line?
If I have the plant bathed in a water Ca++ solution, it does not need to be transported, it's already there. 
Also if this is true, how do plants grow and get enough Ca without their product?
 
"Calcium Suspensions require constant agitation or precipitation in tank occurs"

No, that's not true with CaCl unless you have high levels, much less than we use.
My tap water in the past should have the Ca just fall out of the water if that were the case at over 600ppm.
Most tanks have agitation, even if they don't, you will not see the Ca drop out.
 
If you add concetrated stuff, in Hydroponic reservirors, spraying terrestrail crops, perhaps.

"Dry products are bulky, hard to handle, and need agitation"

Err they mean liquid porducts that you pay for the water and dilution. 
Dry products are less, not more bulky.
 
"Synthetic chelates are foreign to the plant & use up valuable net energy to be metabolized by the plant "

What does Foreign/Synthetic have to do with it. That's what plants do, take up foreign materials and make them into plant tissue. Plants do not use chelates, these are left outside the plant's cells. 

"EDTA & other true chelates are very stable, resisting calcium release "

This assumes they are being bound or otherwise made unavailable, Ca++ exist just fine ionically in water, no chelator is needed.

"Limited periods of application" 

We add/have plenty Ca all the time in a tank with a decent GH.

"Limited products to apply in combination"

n/a
 
"Should not be applied during cell division, when the fruit cells are calling for calcium"

What number do I call to get Ca++ to my fruits?:-)

Bottom line, this stuff really is not made for aquatic plants and the issues raise do not apply to us.
Add more CaCl2 if you want more Ca or CaNO3, CaCO3 etc.

Regards, 
Tom Barr

 

 

_______________________________________________
Aquatic-Plants mailing list
Aquatic-Plants at actwin_com
http://www.actwin.com/mailman/listinfo/aquatic-plants