Macronutrient that controls diseases launched in Portugal

The Portuguese company, Nutritec Fertilizantes, introduced SICALCIO, a fertilizer containing calcium and silicon but not aluminum that can be used on all crops at any stage of their cycle, to the market.

The greatest advantage of the Portuguese launch is that it acts by increasing the plant's resistance against fungal attacks and diseases while improving fruit quality.

Formulated as a concentrated suspension of calcium silicate, SICALCIO was developed as a plant tissue fortifier for foliar or root application.

According to the manufacturer, applying the product ″improves root development and carbohydrate metabolism.″

In summary, SICALCIO offers the following advantages:

-Increases plant resistance
-Eliminates surface moisture
-Favors the root absorption of different nutrients available in the soil solution
-Thickens cell walls  
-Improves saline soils

Calcium is a secondary macronutrient, which is essential for good plant development, especially root development.

The death of stems and leaf petiole tissue are often observed, as well as premature flower drop, ovule death, and poor seed development.

The death of the tissue of fruits, such as tomato and pepper, is an indication of low calcium supply, marked by the appearance of fruit apical rot. In lettuce and crucifers, it appears as marginal leaf rot.

In addition to providing calcium, SICALCIO has a high content of assimilable silicon, which accumulates between the cuticle and the epidermis in the cell walls and on top of the cuticle.

This element can help control diseases by creating more rigid cell walls and a silicon barrier on the epidermis, as well as reducing perspiration and solar erythema.

(Editing by Leonardo Gottems, reporter for AgroPages)