Rates of calcium, yield and quality of snap bean

Calcium ions (Ca) play an important role in many biochemical processes, delaying senescence and controlling physiological disorders in fruits and vegetables. The objective of this experiment was to analyze the effect of increasing calcium concentrations in snap beans. Snap bean cultivar UEL 1 was sown in sand containing 80 mg L-1 of calcium supplemented with nutrient solution, plus calcium at different contents: 0, 75, 150 and 300 mg L-1. Ca was mainly recovered in the shoots, followed by roots and pods. Calcium concentrations in the pods were 130, 259, 349 and 515 mg 100 g(-1) dry matter on a dry weight basis, in relation to the enhancement of calcium contents in the nutrient solution, respectively. A negative relationship between nitrogen content in the pods and calcium concentration in the nutrient solution was observed. Pods from plants grown in a solution without Ca presented necrosis in their apical region. Dieback of roots, shoots and young leaves also occurred under low calcium supply. Dry matter of pods, roots and shoots, number of pods per plant, pod weight and pod length increased proportionally to calcium concentration in solution. Increasing rates of calcium improved biomass production in snap bean cultivar UEL 1.