| Abstract: | Effect of calcium supply on growth rate and calcium content of potato tubers. . Using potato plants in water culture with a constant calcium supply to the roots, a study was made of the influence of additional supply of calcium to the tuber surface on growth rate and calcium content of the tubers. Under conditions of high relative humidity around the tubers the calcium nutrition of the tubers was exclusively dependent on the calcium supplied to the tuber surface (?exogenous calcium”?). With a high level of exogenous Ca the growth rate of the tubers was high and the rate of uptake of Ca was proportional to the tuber growth. With a low level of exogenous Ca the growth rate declined to a lower but constant value. In absence of exogenous supply of Ca the growth rate of the tubers declined gradually until growth ceased. Cessation of tuber growth occurred when the Ca content decreased below 0,36 mg Ca per g dry matter for smaller tubers and below 0,14 mg Ca per g dry matter for larger tubers. Severe Ca deficiency in potato tubers causes necrosis at the tuber apex. |
