The potassium is highly mobile in the phloem and is redistributed from older leaves to young leaves or growing organs. When this luxury consumption of potassium occurs, due to high concentrations in the soil, the absorption and translocation of other nutrients may be depressed. High K concentrations generally result in a Ca or Mg deficiency. Calcium Plants have a high calcium requirement. Calcium is used in plant cell walls.
Calcium deficiency is associated with water balance in the plants.
Higher than normal temperatures that cause higher plant transpiration or foggy overcast days with lower than normal transpiration can cause calcium deficiency in strawberries and vegetables. A high level of Mg reduces the plant s absorption of Ca and K. Magnesium excess is indicated when the exchangeable Mg is more than 40-60 percent of the cation exchange capacity. Ca deficiency produces several characteristic symptoms. It is responsible for tip burn, hardening of fruit, root tip stunting, and growing point damage in strawberries, black heart of celery, brown head in broccoli, and blossom end rot in tomatoes and peppers. Calcium-deficient strawberry fruit shows a dense cover of seeds with smaller fruit size.