Download Calcium Improves Water Efficiency

Calcium Improves Water Efficiency
Nutrients can play a key role in improving plant water efficiency. Calcium is most important for water
efficiency because:
1) Calcium and calmodulin (calcium modulated protein) act as a messenger molecule to jump start
plant protection devices.
2) Calcium helps stabilize plasma membranes and decreases hydrogen peroxide concentrations
which increase with drought stress. This maximizes cell water content.
3) Calcium is vitally important for root hair growth increasing root surface area significantly
increasing water uptake.
4) Calcium works with abscisic acid (formed especially when under drought stress) to increase
water conductivity within the plant.
5) Calcium is involved with the closing and opening of the stomata decreasing transpiration losses.
6) Calcium improves cell wall thickness and reduces cuticle breaks where water can be lost from
the leaf.