Albina

For Quality, Shelf Life and Health.

Key Benefits

Firmer fruit

Increased flower and fruit setting

Extended post-harvest shelf life

Reduced physiological disorders

Reduced susceptibility to disease

Improved growth during heat and cold stress

Highly Efficient Calcium Absorption

Technical Data:

Albina is a pioneering new product that can reduce physiological disorders, improve flower set, fruit holding, and improves firmness and shelf life of fruit and vegetable crops. Albina uses LoCal technology to help plants absorb calcium, a nutrient that can improve quality but is poorly absorbed by plants.

Please contact us for more information about purchasing Albina.

Find out more about Albina below

More Info
Related Posts

Published Papers

Trial Results

Application Rates

More Info

Most growers know that calcium is important for fruit and vegetable crops, as it can improve cell wall strength, which has a positive effect on shelf life, firmness and ability to withstand diseases and physiological disorders. However when you look at the scientific evidence it becomes clear that the calcium applied to fruit and vegetable crops does not always end up where it is needed. Calcium is poorly absorbed by flowers and fruit therefore a lot of the calcium farmers apply to their crops is wasted as fruit are not able to absorb it efficiently.

So why is it the case that calcium absorption is so erratic? Calcium absorption is strongly linked to the transport of auxin, a plant hormone. Auxin must be present in cells for calcium to be able to move into them.

As fruit and vegetables grow and mature their auxin levels and ability to absorb calcium decreases and when crops are sprayed with foliar calcium, the leaves and very young fruit will absorb it, but maturing fruits will not.

Usually it is exactly the fruit that can’t absorb the calcium that farmers are targeting, in order to improve firmness and post harvest shelf life and prevent disorders. This is why results from conventional calcium fertilisers are so erratic, sometimes the fruit can’t absorb calcium into fruit and the input is wasted.

Albina contains Levity’s pioneering LoCal technology, to stimulate calcium absorption into parts of crops where conventional products cannot.

It can help farmers get firmness, fruit set and shelf-life to higher standards using very low inputs. It can also reduce physiological disorders on a wide range of crops.

Prevents physiological disorders

Physiological disorders like bitter pit (apples), cracking (cherry), tip burn (lettuce and cabbage), blossom end rot (tomato, watermelon and pepper), black heart (celery), end spot (avocado), soft nose (mango) and cork spot (pear) are closely related to local calcium deficiency. Often when calcium related disorders occur on crops the plants as a whole are not deficient in calcium. Indeed even the fruit is only deficient in small areas. It therefore makes sense to understand why only small parts of the plant have a problem, and treat the problem not just the symptom. Albina corrects the local calcium deficiency that leads to these important physiological problems, by allowing proper transport of calcium into the problem areas. This means farmers can use low rates and get great results.

Improves flower set and fruit retention

Albina is a very effective product for ensuring good setting of flowers, and good retention of fruit. Levity research shows that treating crops during flowering and stress conditions improves the number and size of fruits harvested.

Reduces disease susceptibility

Calcium is important in maintaining strong cell walls, and in cell to cell adhesion both critical factors in promoting plant health. Plants with good calcium status are less likely to become infected with diseases, and Albina has been demonstrated to help reduce disease susceptibility on a wide range of crops.

Improves growth during high temperatures

Albina can be used to help maintain normal growth rates during periods of high temperature growing conditions.

Improves post harvest shelf life

Pre-harvest applications of Albina are an effective way of extending post harvest shelf life, and firmness in fruit and vegetable crops. Mature fruit are naturally less able to absorb calcium, but Albina is easily absorbed allowing good performance close to harvest.

Albina on Bitter Pit in Apples

The Effects of Calcium on Bitter Pit in Apples

Albina on Cavity Spot in Carrots

The effects of Calcium on Cavity Spot in Carrots

Albina on Blossom End Rot in Tomatoes

The effects of Calcium on Blossom End Rot

Albina on Leaf Flush in Citrus Fruit

The Effects of Leaf Flush on Citrus Fruit Quality

Related Posts

At levity, we know that science makes the difference. Our team of scientist’s regularly upload insights explaining the science behind our products, and why it works so well.

How to Reduce Bitter Pit in Apples

How to Reduce Bitter Pit in Apples

Whilst bitter pit is linked with localised low levels of calcium it is characterised as a physiological disorder, and not a calcium deficiency. There is a reason for this distinction and it should...

read more

Published Papers on Albina

At levity, our science is proven, published and peer reviewed in the academic and scienctific community. Read our academic papers related to Albina here.

Research Data

Albina Improving Yield

Albina, powered by LoCal technology allows parts of plants naturally less able to absorb calcium (fruits and flowers) to absorb it easily, allowing small doses to give large benefits.

In this study on tomato UK (2017), Albina applications significantly improves yield by increasing both the number of fruits, and the size of fruit. Levity’s research shows improved fruit number and size in a wide range of crops including cucurbits, blueberries, strawberries, tomatoes and peppers.

More independent research done at Holden Research, California (2016) and Universidad Agraria la Molina, Peru (2012) investigated Albinas effect on strawberry yield. The field trials showed that Albina increased fruit numbers per plant and mean fruit weight.

California (2016)
Albina Increased Fruit Weight

Peru (2012)
Albina Increased Fruit Numbers

This UK (2022) trial looked at the effect of Albina on root weight in carrot. For the Polydor carrot trial, the Albina treatment resulted a 32% increased weight of the roots, meaning a higher yeild for the grower.

This UK (2022) trial looked at the effect of Albina on potato yield. This Manhattan trial significantly increased weight of tubers (56% increase), number of tubers (24% increase) and tuber size distribution (increases in 65, 70, 75, 80, 85 and 90+ mm size classes). This shows that the treated sample had a significantly increased yield due to more tubers that were bigger being produced with fewer tubers being in the lower size classes.

Albina Increased Potato Weight by 56%

Albina Increased Number of Potato Tubers by 24%

Median Aize of Tubers Increased From 55 mm to 65 mm For The Albina Treated Potato

Albina Prevents Physiological Disorders & Disease

Most fruit and vegetable crops have physiological disorders associated with poor Ca absorption. Lettuce (Tip burn), cherries (cracking), tomato (blossom end rot) are all examples of crops where Albina is more effective at lower rates.

Bitter Pit is a physiological disorder of apples, closely linked with calcium deficiency. Bitter pit occurs when calcium is low in fruit, even when the rest of the plant has adequate calcium. Applying extra calcium does not always correct the problem, as the fruit are poor at absorbing it.

In this study at Warsaw Agricultural University, just 3 x 1.5L/Ha of Albina completley corrected bitter pit. Whereas 9 x 5L/Ha of conventional calcium fertiliser did not do the job. This is because Albina is able to be easily absobed by the apple and conventional Ca is not.

Warsaw Agricultural University
Albina Completley Corrected Bitter Pit

Experiments carried out by the Ctifl and Vegenov research centres in France (2013) looking at alternatives to fungicides in reducing disease in fruit and vegetable crops.

Albina significantly reduced disease compared to control plants on Lettuce, melon and chrysanthemum (P<0.05). Demonstrating that use of Albina reduces the need for fungicide applications.

Ctifl and Vegenov research centres, France (2013)
Albina Significantly Reduced All 3 Diseases

Albina Improves Post Harvest Shelf-Life

An independent trial in the UK (2016) looked at the effect of Levity’s LoCal technology (used in Albina) on post harvest firmness of strawberry, in comparrison to conventional calcium fertiliser. Firmness was tested both 9 Days after treatment and 16 days after treatment.

Independant Trial, UK (2016)
Albina Significantly Increased Post Harvest Shelf Life.

This trial in the UK (2022) looked at the effect of Albina on root firmness in carrot when compared with a industry standard fertiliser.

For the Nairobi carrot trial, the Albina treatment resulted in significantly (p<0.05) firmer roots (7% increase) which would suggest that the roots would have a longer storage life and remain fresh longer when with consumers.

UK (2022)
Albina Increased Carrot Root Firmness ay 7%

Application Rates for Albina

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Crop

Application

Amount

Frequency

Impact

Soft Fruit

Foliar apply 1L Per Ha Every 1-2 weeks throughout flowering Improve shelf life and reduce physiological disorders

Lettuce & Leafy Salad Crops

Foliar apply 1L Per Ha Every 14 days from 3 leaf stage Reduce tip burn and improve shelf life

Tomato, Pepper,
Cucmber,
Melon, Eggplant
& Other Fruiting Crops.

Foliar apply 1L Per Ha Every 2 weeks throughout flowering Relieve stress

Fruit Trees, Vines & Hops

Foliar apply 1L Per Ha At flowering and then 2 further applications (7-14 day intervals) Reduce physiological disorders

Broccoli & Cauliflower

Foliar apply 1L Per Ha Every 2 weeks from formation of head until harvest Reduce bruising

Celery

Foliar apply 1L Per Ha At 3 leaf stage the every 14-20 days Prevent black heart

Cabbages & Brussels Sprouts

Foliar apply 1L Per Ha Every2-3 weeks after bud formation Reduce internal browning and yellowing

Dragon Fruit

Foliar apply 1L Per Ha Every 3 weeks throughout season Improved fruit retention and health

Bannana

Foliar apply 1L Per Ha Every 3-4 weeks throughout season Increased fruit number and improved disease resistance

Citrus

Foliar apply 1L Per Ha After flowering then again after 14 days Improved fruit retention

For further technical help & support please contact your distributor.

Material Safety Data Sheet’s

Albina

Download Albina MSDS.

Albina Root Veg

Download ‘Albina Root Veg’ MSDS.

Albion

Download Albion MSDS.

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