Regarding the question of crop calcium supplementation, the most commonly used calcium fertilizers in agricultural production are lime and gypsum. These fertilizers are usually applied to the soil, meaning they must be applied before planting. Today, we’ll discuss foliar calcium fertilizers: sugar alcohol calcium and chelated calcium. What are their roles and relationships?
Let’s first discuss sugar alcohol calcium. What is it?
Sugar alcohol calcium is currently a popular foliar calcium supplement, widely used and highly effective. Sugar alcohol calcium is relatively simple to understand: it’s a mixture of sugar alcohols and calcium. The main sugar alcohol components include lactitol, xylitol, mannitol, sorbitol, maltitol, and erythritol. The calcium content is typically composed of calcium nitrate, calcium chloride, and other calcium components, though other calcium sources may also be present. This is the basic information about sugar alcohol calcium, which should be easy to understand. Sugar alcohol calcium is a mixture of sugar alcohol and calcium, but the production process is certainly not as simple as I’ve described. At its core, it’s probably also a chelated calcium.
What is chelated calcium?
Regarding the term “chelated calcium,” it’s actually just a type of calcium fertilizer, or the manufacturing process itself. It’s not a calcium fertilizer, but sugar alcohol calcium is also a chelated calcium. The word “chelate” here can be understood as a chelating agent (a type of process). EDTA is also a chelating agent, but EDTA calcium is a calcium fertilizer produced using the EDTA chelation process. Similar to sugar alcohol calcium, it’s also produced by chelating sugar alcohol with calcium, hence the name “sugar alcohol calcium.” Compared to other chelated calcium forms, sugar alcohol calcium is better absorbed. Next, let’s discuss the reasons for its absorption speed, which is a key point.
Why is sugar alcohol calcium better absorbed than other chelated calcium forms?
To clarify, chelated calcium is a process that can chelate different types of calcium. Sugar alcohol calcium is also a type of chelated calcium. So why is sugar alcohol calcium better absorbed after spraying? Calcium absorption can be broadly divided into two types: root absorption and foliar absorption. Calcium fertilizers like lime and gypsum, discussed above, are primarily absorbed by the roots, with transpiration then transporting the calcium to other areas where it’s needed. This method of calcium supplementation is also slow, so foliar application is still necessary during critical periods. This explains the popularity of sugar alcohol calcium. The principle is that sugar alcohols, once applied to crop leaves, are more easily absorbed. They act as a calcium carrier for the crop, transporting the calcium to where it’s needed, achieving the desired calcium supplementation goal.
Sugar alcohol calcium supplementation is particularly effective during critical growth periods. For example, it can reduce fruit cracking during fruit expansion. Another important point is that during the later stages of crop growth, the root system is generally not very strong, significantly reducing the ability to absorb calcium. Foliar application is essential for achieving the desired calcium supplementation goal.
About the Basic Classification of Calcium Fertilizers
In agricultural production, there are various types of calcium fertilizers, depending on the production process. Among the most common calcium fertilizers, lime and gypsum are burnt calcium fertilizers, made by burning limestone at high temperatures. Their calcium content ranges from 35-90%, with calcium oxide being the primary component.
Chelated calcium is also a production process. The most representative is the aforementioned sugar alcohol calcium, which is made by chelating sugar alcohols with calcium nitrate. Chelated calcium fertilizers are foliar calcium fertilizers and are more effective when sprayed. Their calcium content is generally around 20%, with calcium oxide still being the primary component.
Chemical calcium fertilizers are easy to understand. Examples include calcium nitrate, superphosphate, and calcium chloride. These are all chemically synthesized. They also contain a good amount of calcium and are widely used as base fertilizers for calcium supplementation. They can also be used as foliar fertilizers.
These three calcium fertilizers are the most common and frequently used. Their specific use depends on the specific situation, so I won’t elaborate further.
Summary:
Sugar alcohol calcium is also a type of chelated calcium, but a clear definition is crucial. Chelated calcium is simply a process. It can chelate other types of calcium and is also considered chelated calcium.
