Calcium plays an important role in strengthening plant cell walls and supporting healthy fruit development. Maintaining sufficient levels of plant-available calcium throughout the growing season can be challenging, making foliar calcium applications an important component of a coffee nutrition programme.

OMEX CalMax Coffee Trials

Trials carried out on Robusta coffee in Vietnam investigated the effects of foliar-applied OMEX CalMax on plant growth, berry retention, yield and bean quality.

The results demonstrated clear benefits from CalMax applications, particularly at the highest tested rate of 3.75 ml per tree.

Key Results

• 30.8% higher coffee cherry yield compared with untreated Farm Check trees
• 34.4% increase in green coffee yield, reaching 4,060 kg/ha compared with 3,026 kg/ha in untreated trees
• 86.8% of beans retained by Screen No. 13, compared with 82.2% in untreated trees
• Lower levels of black, mouldy and broken beans
• Reduced berry drop, with more cherries retained within each cluster
• Increased new branch growth following CalMax applications

A subsequent demonstration trial across 12 coffee-growing sites in Vietnam confirmed the positive effects of CalMax on growth, yield and bean quality under commercial growing conditions.

The results highlight the value of foliar calcium nutrition in supporting berry retention, crop performance and bean quality, helping coffee growers maximise yield potential and produce a greater proportion of marketable beans.

[Read the full article by Dr Terry Mabbett →]