Agronomy (Jan 2021)

Foliar Calcium Fertilizers Impact on Several Fruit Quality Characteristics and Leaf and Fruit Nutritional Status of the ‘Hayward’ Kiwifruit Cultivar

  • Thomas Sotiropoulos,
  • Antonios Voulgarakis,
  • Dionisios Karaiskos,
  • Theocharis Chatzistathis,
  • Ioannis Manthos,
  • Olga Dichala,
  • Areti Mpountla

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11020235
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 11, no. 2
p. 235

Abstract

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Calcium preharvest application influences fruit quality. The impact of preharvest foliar sprays using several commercial fertilizers with Ca content on the fruit quality and nutritional status of the kiwi cv. ‘Hayward’ was investigated for a 2-year period. Fruit flesh firmness increased under all Ca sprays compared to the control. Total soluble solids and acidity were not altered significantly by any of the studied Ca products. Treatment differences with regard to fruit firmness, soluble solids concentration and acids at harvest were maintained during cold storage for 2 and 4 months. Foliar sprays did not affect the N, P, K, Mg, B, Fe, Mn and Zn concentrations of leaves and fruits. However, all treatments increased the concentration of Ca in leaves and fruits compared to the control.

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