Next to the northern bank of the river Aconcagua, in the San Miguel sector of the municipality of San Esteban, in the Andes, the company Agrícola Agrifutura has 140 hectares of walnut trees of the Serr variety planted on quite clayey soils and slopes of between 7 and 25%.
"We saw that the area had a very suitable microclimate for the cultivation of white walnuts with excellent colouring. For this reason, and because we owned a processing plant in those lands, we decided to start planting," explains Christian Von Gehr, owner of Agrícola Agrifutura.
According to Von Gehr, although the plantations currently produce around 4,500 kilos per hectare of high quality walnuts, there were also difficult years. "We easily reached 8,000 or 9,000 ppm and by February the foliage was already burned. In March we tried to de-stress the trees, whose leaves ended up falling. We managed production volumes of around 3,000 kilos per hectare, and of a lower quality."
Von Gehr was well aware about the clayey soils before starting the project, but what he didn't know is that after digging a third well he would find water with a high concentration of chlorides (CE: 1.9). "Droughts in 2005 forced us to dig a third well whose water had an electrical conductivity of between 1.7 and 1.9 mmhos/cm, mainly due to chlorides. Furthermore, at the time we had micro-aspersion irrigation, and thus chloride accumulated in the soil."
"By that time we used ammonium sulphate as a fertiliser, which we gradually replaced with nitrate. We used negatively charged salts to level out the accumulated chloride, but with the increase in hydraulic pressure due to the introduction of drip irrigation, the clayey soils started becoming compact. We then looked for ways to break that clay and generate macropores," explains Von Gehr.
Large investments were made in irrigation and fertigation systems, and although these were more efficient in the application of water, salts started concentrating again, as plants are selective and reject sodium, chloride or sulphates as much as possible, thus increasing conductivity.
"Eventually we introduced Alcaplant New®, from CODIAGRO, which radically changed the soil's structure when accompanied with organic matter. With these tools, we have managed to improve hydric efficiency and plant nutrition, resulting in the healthy trees we have today," proudly states Von Gehr.
Effects of Alcaplant New® on soil and plants
Ricardo Pérez-Santamarina, technical director of CODIAGRO, explains Alcaplant 's tested positive effects.
Effects of Alcaplant New® on soil and plants
Ricardo Pérez-Santamarina, technical director of CODIAGRO, explains Alcaplant 's tested positive effects.
"With the simplest Ca source, Ca oxide, we managed to create the most efficient product. It is not magic; it is the same calcium as that of a carbonate, calcium chloride or calcium nitrate, but this product's formulation makes it possible to overcome the great problems of Ca, such as its stability and retention in the soil. In this manner, we manage to keep it available for the plant," adds the specialist.
"Alcaplant New® is made partly from oxide and partly from calcium hydroxide, but what matters most are the treatments that molecules receive during the formulation. First they receive a protective treatment with hydrophobic substances in order to slow solubilisation down, resulting in slow-release calcium. Without that process, Ca would solubilise too quickly, thereby losing efficiency."
"During the manufacturing process," explains Pérez-Santamarina, "a positive charge is induced which is much higher than that of Ca itself, thus remaining in the soil once the product is applied. The main problem of salts such as chloride is that they produce phyto-toxicity once absorbed by the plant. In the soil, organic matter is the most negatively charged, and the plants' roots are the most organic element. When Alcaplant New® is used, a protective shield is created around the roots with calcium, preventing the absorption of salts."
Alcaplant New® is the simplest solution to enrich both soil and plants with calcium. Its presentation in soluble form (Floable) and high calcium content (CaO 35%) makes Alcaplant New® the first mineral calcium which can be used for fertigation and any other soil injection system.
"During the manufacturing process," explains Pérez-Santamarina, "a positive charge is induced which is much higher than that of Ca itself, thus remaining in the soil once the product is applied. The main problem of salts such as chloride is that they produce phyto-toxicity once absorbed by the plant. In the soil, organic matter is the most negatively charged, and the plants' roots are the most organic element. When Alcaplant New® is used, a protective shield is created around the roots with calcium, preventing the absorption of salts."
Alcaplant New® is the simplest solution to enrich both soil and plants with calcium. Its presentation in soluble form (Floable) and high calcium content (CaO 35%) makes Alcaplant New® the first mineral calcium which can be used for fertigation and any other soil injection system.
Alcaplant New® is distributed with the brand Magnific Ca Flow® exclusively in Chile and Peru.
Magnific Ca Flow® is distributed in Chile by MULTIBISA and COPEVAL; in Peru by DESMOTADORA INCA SAC, in S. Vicente de Cañete.
For more information, visit: www.codiagro.com
