Calcium is an essential nutrient for plant growth and development. It plays structural roles in cell walls and membranes and is important for cell division. Calcium deficiency can cause stunted growth, distorted leaves, chlorosis between veins, and other disorders. Maintaining adequate calcium levels through lime or gypsum application can reduce disorders like bitter pit in apples and blossom-end rot in tomatoes. Calcium is also important for human nutrition and health.

1. INTRODUCTION
• Calcium is an essential secondary plant nutrient.
• As the divalent cation (Ca2+), it is required for
structural roles in the cell wall and membranes.
• Calaium is an important nutrient for cell division.

2. REVIEW OF LITERATURE
• CARDOSO,M.O.,QUEIROZ, M. A. and SOUZA,
R. F. (1995).Incidence of diseases in five
vegetable cultivars grown insoil with three
calcium levels. Horticultura Brasileira,13,172–
175
• White, P.J. and M.R. Broadley, 2003. Calcium in
plants. Ann. Bot., 92: 487-511.

3. • Karley, A.J. and P.J. White, 2009. Moving
cationic minerals to edible tissues: Potassium,
magnesium, calcium. Curr. Opin. Plant Biol., 12:
291-298.
• Collier, G.F. and T.W. Tibbitts. 1982. Tipburn of
lettuce. Hort. Rev.4:49–65.

4. IMPORTANCE OF CALCIUM
• It influences water movement in cells.
• It is necessary for cell growth and division.
• It helps in nitrogen uptake and other minerals.
• It promotes the formation of solid, high-quality
heads in brassicas.
• It helps in accelerating rotting of harvest
residues.

5. THE CALCIUM CONTENT OF PLANTS:
The Ca content of plants can be highly
variable; but, inmost cases, it represents
between 0.1% and 10% of the total dry weight
(DW). Because of the immobility of Ca in plants,
young leaves always have less Ca in their
tissues than older leaves.

6. Distribution of Ca (Calcium) in different
parts of cultivated vegetables plants

7. FUNCTIONS OF CALCIUM IN PLANTS
• Improves plant vigour.
• Influences the intake and synthesis of other
plant nutrients.
• Increases the yield of large and medium-sized
tubers.
• Improves specific gravity of tubers, and thus,
enhances tuber quality for processing.

8. • Calcium, along with magnesium and potassium,
helps to neutralize organic acids, which form
during cell metabolism in plants.
• Calcium also plays a role in other key plant
functions:
• Improves the absorption of other nutrients by
roots and their translocation within the plant.

9. • Activates a number of plant growth-regulating
enzyme systems.
• Helps convert nitrate-nitrogen into forms needed
for protein formation.
• Is needed for cell wall formation and normal cell
division.
• Improves disease resistance.

10. DEFICIENCY SYMPTOMS OF
CALCIUM IN VEGETABLES
• Stunting of new growth in stems, flowers and
roots.
• Symptoms range from distorted new growth to
black spots on leaves and fruit.
• Yellow leaf margins may also appear.
• Young leaves turn yellow then brown; growing
tip bends; weak stem; short dark roots.

11. • Failure of development of terminal buds at apical
tips.
• Small leaves.
• Leaves do not develop normally and have
wrinkled appearance.
• In mild deficiency, a light green band appears
along the margin of leaves of terminal buds.
• In severe deficiency, young leaves at the top
remain folded and later their tips die.

12. Symptoms:
Calcium-deficient plants are stunted, having distorted,
cupped leaves and characteristic interveinal chlorosis.
Control:
Treatment with chelated CA may be used in
greenhouse situations.

13. It is a common
nutritional disorder of
tomato, pepper,
eggplant, pumpkin,
squash that is caused
by a shortage of
calcium in enlarging
fruits.
BLOSSOM-END ROT

14. Symptoms:
• Brown or watersoaked discoloration near the
blossom end (opposite the stem end) of the fruit.
• The discolored area enlarges and darkens until
it covers 1/3 to 1/2 the surface of the fruit in
severe cases.

15. DIRECTIONS FOR
USE:
Soil: Add 1-2 Tbsp per
gallon of water and apply
around the base of plants.
Foliar: Mix 1-2 Tbsp per
gallon of water and spray
to the point of run-off.
Repeat as necessary.

16. BITTER PIT OF APPLE

17. Symptoms:-
• The affected fruit have dark spots, about ½ cm
diameter, which occur on the skin or in the flesh
or both.
• The cells in the spots are dead (necrotic), and
turn brown-black.

18. Calcium is important for:
• Reduces Bitter Pit and other related disorders.
• Increases fruit size.
• Gives better fruit colour.
• Increases fruit firmness.
• Reduces storage disorders.

19. Symptoms:
• Discoloration of the tender young leaves at the
center of the plant.
• These affected leaves turn black and die.
BLACKHEART OF CELERY

20. Symptoms:
• Browning of the margins of young, maturing
leaves in head and leaf lettuces.
• Many pinpoint necrotic areas along the margin
may give that tissue a speckled appearance.
TIPBURN IN LETTUCE

21. CONTROL MEASURES
• Limestone or gypsum supply your garden soil
with calcium.
• If your soil is acidic, adding limestone helps
boost most vegetable crops by increasing
alkalinity.
• For example, if your soil pH is below 5.5, add 2
to 3 pounds of dolomitic lime per 100 square
feet to raise the pH.

22. • For soils that have a pH of 6.5 to 6.7, gypsum is
a better choice for adding calcium, because it
doesn't alter the soil's pH.
• Gypsum can add a calcium boost, while helping
to break up high clay, compact, and hard-pan
soils simultaneously.

23. • Reduces salt and sodium levels as well.
• Neutralize acidity, both within the plant and in
its surrounding and fortifies overall tissues.
• It helps in strengthening soil, for optimal health.

26. Calcium is necessary for the growth and
maintenance of strong teeth and bones, nerve
signaling, muscle contraction, and secretion of
certain hormones and enzymes.
CALCIUM NUTRITION FOR HEALTH

27. SL
NO.
VEGETABLE
NAME
CALCIUM
CONTENT
(mg/cup)
1 Collard Greens 357
2 Broccoli 74
3 Kelp 136
4 Spinach 56
5 Soybeans 175
VEGETABLES RICH IN CALCIUM

28. CONCLUSION
• Calcium is a low-key essential nutrient that carries
a heavy load in plant growth.
• Too often, it takes a backseat as soil fertility
programs are developed for many high-yield and
high-quality crops.

29. REFERENCES:
• Hopkins, William G., Norman P.A. Hüner.
Introduction to Plant Physiology
• Bangerth, F. 1979. Calcium-related physiological
disorders of plants. Annual Review of
Phytopathology.
• Internet source...

30. THANK YOU