Determination of Residual and Cumulative Boron Requirements for Cotton and Wheat Crops Grown Under Calcareous Soil Conditions

ABSTRACT

A two-year field experiment was conducted to elucidate the residual and cumulative boron (B) requirements for cotton and wheat crops. For the first time, cotton was sown in randomized complete blocks those received 0.0, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5 and 3.0 kg B ha⁻¹ as borax (Na₂B₄O₇.10H₂0). Later, each plot was divided into two subplots for successive wheat and cotton crops and half of the pots received B at similar rates. Our results revealed that direct application of B at the rate of 2 and 2.5 kg ha⁻¹ produced optimum cotton yield during 2005. The same rates of B were consistent in residual plots but not in cumulative plots for both of the crops in successive years. It was thus concluded that soil applied B at the rate of 2.0 and 2.5 kg ha⁻¹ had significant residual effects on cotton and wheat yields.

KEYWORDS:

• Boron deficiency
• crop B nutrition
• crop rotation
• soil B
• yield

Additional information

Funding

This work was funded by Higher Education Commission (HEC), Pakistan (No. 0308259).