Application of Holcim Agrocal products in liming of apple plantation in the Karlovac county

Suvišna kiselost tla predstavlja jedan od glavnih ograničavajućih čimbenika za ostvarivanje kvalitetnih i visokih prinosa u intenzivnoj poljoprivrednoj proizvodnji. Kalcizacija je jedan od osnovnih agrotehničkih zahvata koji se primjenjuju na kiselim tlima jer se korekcijom suvišne kiselosti povećava pristupačnost biogenih elemenata za biljnu ishranu. Istraživanje primjene Holcim Agrocal proizvoda – Agrocal (Ca+Mg) i Agrocal (Ca) u kalcizaciji nasada jabuka provedeno je na lokaciji Carevo selo, općina Barilović u okolici Karlovca (OPG Željko Banjavčić), u voćnjaku jabuke sorte 'Idared', površine 2,0 ha. Pokus je postavljen po slučajnom bloknom rasporedu sa sedam varijanti u tri ponavljanja. Rezultati istraživanja ukazuju da su Holcim Agrocal proizvodi primijenjeni u pokusu imali pozitivan učinak na povećanje pH vrijednosti i neutralizaciju štetne kiselosti tla u voćnjaku. Analizom mineralnog sastava lišća utvrđen je pozitivan utjecaj Agrocal proizvoda na povećanje koncentracije kalcija i magnezija, a u manjoj mjeri i povećanje koncentracije kalija i fosfora. U odnosu na mineralni sastav lišća, Agrocal proizvodi imali su značajno veći utjecaj na mineralni sastav ploda, a time i na njegovu kvalitetu. Temeljem navedenog nameće se zaključak da su oba Holcim Agrocal proizvoda kvalitetni materijali, prikladni za neutralizaciju štetne kiselosti u voćnjacima, no malu prednost trebalo bi dati proizvodu Agrocal (Ca+Mg) jer se radi o materijalu koji obogaćuje tlo kalcijem i magnezijem i rezultira povoljnijim odnosom kalcija i magnezija u plodu.One of the main limiting factors in achieving high quality within intensive agricultural production is soil acidity. Considering the fact that correction of acidity increases accessibility of mineral elements for plant nutrition, liming is one of the basic agro-technical procedures that are applied to acid soils The research of Holcim Agrocal products - Agrocal (Ca+Mg) and Agrocal (Ca) application has been conducted on 'Idared' apple plantation in Carevo selo, municipaly Barilović, near Karlovac (OPG Željko Banjavčić). The experiment was set as a random block design with seven variants in three replications. The results indicate that Holcim Agrocal products applied in the experiment had a positive effect on increasing soil pH value and neutralizing adverse soil acidity in the orchard. Leaves mineral composition analysis showed the positive influence of Agrocal products on increasing the calcium and magnesium concentration, and to a lesser extent, increasing the potassium and phosphorus concentration in leaves. Compared to the mineral composition of the leaves, Agrocal products had a significantly greater influence on the mineral composition of the fruit, and therefore on its quality. Consequently, the conclusion is that both Holcim Agrocal product are good materials, suitable for neutralization of the adverse acidity in orchards. Slight advantage shoud be given for Agrocal (Ca+Mg) product, because it enriches the soil with calcium and magnesium which results with better calcium and magnesium ratio in fruit