Determining critical limit of boron in soil for wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

Abstract

Critical values of boron (B) for wheat nutrition in soil and plant were determined through a pot experiment with twenty-one surface soils of Alluvial flood plain and Red-latertic belt comprising three major soil orders (Entisols, Alfisols, Inceptisols) with four levels of boron. Application of boron significantly increased the dry matter yield as well as uptake of B by plants. Critical concentration of hot calcium chloride (CaCl₂) extractable B in soil for wheat was found to be 0.53 mg kg⁻¹. The critical plant B concentration varied with growth stages and values were 7.4 mg kg⁻¹ at panicle initiation and 4.18 mg kg⁻¹ at maturity, respectively. The findings of this investigation also recommend the application of 2 kg B⁻¹ ha⁻¹ for ensuring B sufficiency to wheat in Indo-gangetic alluvial and Red-Lateritic soils.

Keywords:

• boron
• BPY
• critical level
• graphical method
• hot CaCl₂; wheat

Acknowledgments

The First author acknowledges the technical help of Ad-hoc project, All India Coordinated Research Project on Micro and Secondary Nutrients and Pollutant Elements in Soils and Plants, Indian Council of Agricultural Research, Govt. of India, Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.