Resolving the Foliar Calcium Mobility Paradox: Enhancing Foliar Calcium Transport in Tomato Using Osmotic Regulators

Abstract

Highlight- In vivo XRF measurements in the petiole confirmed Sr transport to distal tomato tissues. - XRF imaging revealed the distribution of Sr in tomato fruits following foliar application. - Foliar formulations supplemented with osmotic regulators improved Sr absorption and translocation. - Sucrose enhanced both short- and long-distance transport of Sr to tomato fruits. - Sucrose significantly enhanced Sr{superscript 2} accumulation in seeds and the apical mesocarp, the regions most affected by Ca deficiency symptoms The study demonstrates a novel approach for enhancing phloem transport to fruit of foliar-applied Ca Calcium (Ca) deficiency can impair fruit development even under optimal soil Ca levels due to its transpiration-dependent transport. Reduced fruit transpiration may limit Ca delivery to fruits, leading to lower Ca content in the fruit and diminished quality. Foliar application of Ca offers a potential strategy to mitigate these effects; however, its low mobility in the phloem often limits treatment efficacy. To address this, we employed X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF) to investigate the penetration and transport of foliar-applied Ca, using strontium (Sr) as a physiological tracer. Additionally, we evaluated the influence of osmotic regulators, sucrose, mannitol, glycerol, and potassium, on Ca transport. Results showed that Sr was effectively translocated to distal tissues. While potassium and mannitol had no significant impact on transport kinetics, sucrose and glycerol enhanced Sr movement. XRF imaging of leaf tissue revealed that Sr was primarily transported through the apoplast toward the leaf margin. Moreover, foliar application of Sr combined with sucrose significantly increased Sr accumulation in seeds and in the apical portion of tomato fruits. These findings suggest that, contrary to the common assumption of limited foliar Ca mobility, sucrose, can acts as an effective osmotic regulator, enhancing both short-range movement within leaf tissue and long-distance translocation to fruit.