Calcium fertilizers fail to affect pod calcium concentration and yield of four snap bean cultivars

To measure the effect of added Ca fertilizer on the Ca concentration of sna p bean pods, four snap bean cultivars were grown during Summer 1996 and 199 7 at Hancock, Wis. Fertilizer treatments consisted of 80 kg of Ca per hecta re applied as Ca sulfate (CaSO4. 2H(2)O) or Ca nitrate [Ca(NO3)(2)], and th e control (no Ca applied. The experimental design was a randomized complete block with a factorial set of treatments (4 x 3). Calcium sulfate was appl ied at planting, whereas Ca nitrate was split applied four times at weekly intervals starting 1 week before flowering. Yield and Ca concentration in p ods were determined. The statistical analysis showed no significant effect of Ca fertilizers on pod Ca concentration or yield. A strong cultivar effec t was detected for both parameters measured. 'Evergreen' (5.47 mg Ca per gr am dry weight) had the highest pad Ca concentration and 'Labrador' (4.10 mg Ca per gram dry weight) the lowest. No significant fertilizer x cultivar i nteractions were observed. Results for pod Ca concentration remained consis tent, even when significant year effects were found for both parameters.