Effects of calcium and/or phosphorus sprays with different commercial preparations on quality and storability of Šampion apples

Abstract

Investigations on the effect of spraying trees with various calcium, phosphorus and calcium-phosphorus preparations were carried out in 1999-2001. Effects of sprays depended on the type of preparation. Foliar calcium fertilization increased Ca concentration in apples; however, the effectiveness of the used fertilizer also depended on the season. A high calcium content in apples was measured when treated with the new Polish preparation Kalcisal. This effect was observed in all years of investigations. A better calcium supply affected the appearance of apples (usually more green background peel colouring, reflected in the chlorophyll content). In storage these fruits ripened later and lost less of their firmness than apples from control trees. With the higher calcium content in fruits the share of apples with physiological disorders decreased. The lowest losses of apples related to physiological disorders were observed when trees were sprayed with the solutions of Kalcisal or Rosacal.

Keywords

• šampion apple
• calcium and phosphorus sprays
• quality and storability