Potato tuber is botanically a stem tissue. As compared to above ground stem portion of the plant, tubers contain very little calcium. Transpiration being the main driving force for calcium in plants, low transpiring organs such as tubers are known to suffer from calcium deficiency. Calcium deficiency in tubers is even greater for potatoes grown in sandy soil, as these soils have very low levels of exchangeable calcium. With irrigation water soluble calcium is leached out of the hill, and the surrounding tubers will contain low soluble calcium.

Calcium deficiency becomes more pronounced during the later part of the season when tubers develop.

Recent research has shown that split application of soluble calcium at the bulking stage maintains the desirable level of calcium in the tubers. Palta of University of Wisconsin calls it spoon-feeding of liquid calcium.

Liquid calcium application is effective in controlling internal defects such as brown center, internal brown spot and hollow heart in the tubers. Increased calcium concentration of the potato peals also reduces injuries to the tubers during harvesting, transporting and storage.

Hi-Cal liquid calcium is an excellent source of readily available calcium for potato crops.