Calcium-sorbitol Chelating Technology and Application in Potatoes

Abstract

Researches on low-molecular organic compounds are concentrated in amino acid and Humic acid chelating fertilizer, but few in sorbitol chelated calcium. In this study, selecting sorbitol as chelating agent, the technological conditions of chelating sorbitol with calcium and the effect of sorbitol chelated calcium on potato were studied. The impact factors on the stability of the fertilizer were investigated, including sorbitol dosage, pH value, chelating time and temperature. Then a field experiment was conducted on potato. Three treatments included water sprayed as a control, calcium nitrate and sorbitol chelated calcium sprayed. Each treatment had three replicates. The results showed that by orthogonal experiments, the sorbitol dosage has the greatest influence on the stability of the chelating system. The optimum conditions for the synthesis were determined as follows: The sorbitol dosage of 12 g, the chelating temperature of 50°C, the pH of 4 and the chelating time of 45 min. Compared with those of potatoes fertilized with inorganic calcium nitrate, the yield of potatoes sprayed with sorbitol chelated calcium increased by 14.23% and their marketable tuber percentage increased by 3.58%; the nitrate nitrogen content in potatoes decreased by 11.89%; the accumulation of phosphorus and potassium in potato tubers increased. Generally, the application effect of our prepared sorbitol chelated calcium on potato was remarkable.