AGRICULTURAL NEWS - A number of health and growth problems, such as blossom-end rot, in intensive crop production can be attributed to calcium (Ca) deficiency in the plants being cultivated. This is despite Ca being the fifth most abundant element in the Earth’s crust.
Intensive crop farmers who do not effectively address Ca availability in their crops will lose yield and quality, their production costs will increase, and their enterprise profitability will decrease.
Heather Raymond, plant health expert at Tsama Agricultural Agencies, says that without Ca, life as we know it would be impossible.
“Ca is essential for structure in soils, animals and plants, and for the strong growth of both plants and animals. It belongs to the group of secondary nutrients that are generally needed in lesser amounts than nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P) and potassium (K), but are just as important to the crop,” says Raymond.
