Exogenous Calcium on Calcium Accumulation, Uptake and Utilization in Tomato

Abstract

Calcium (Ca) is an essential nutrient element crucial for plant growth and development, especially in tomatoes. This study investigated the effects of foliar spraying with different concentrations (3 g·L−1, 6 g·L−1, 9 g·L−1) of calcium chloride (CaCl2) on growth, calcium uptake, distribution, fruit yield, and quality of tomato plants. The results showed that foliar application of calcium fertilizer significantly increased dry matter accumulation, fruit quality, and yield. Calcium application promoted calcium uptake by tomato plants, significantly increased the distribution proportion of calcium in roots and fruits, and significantly decreased the distribution proportion in stems and leaves. The overall calcium distribution proportion within the plant was leaf > stem > root > fruit. In conclusion, foliar spraying with 3–6 g·L−1 CaCl2 can significantly improve tomato yield and quality by regulating calcium distribution and enhancing dry matter accumulation, providing a theoretical basis for the efficient application of calcium fertilizer in protected tomato cultivation.