Detailed Explanation of Key Technical Points for Boron Fertilizer Application in Field Crops

Boron is one of the essential nutrient elements for plants. The boron absorbed by plants mainly comes from the soil, and the boron content of the soil is crucial to plants. When crops are boron-deficient, the growing point grows abnormally or stops growing, or even dies; young leaves are deformed and wrinkled, with irregular chlorosis between the veins, while lower old leaves thicken and turn dark yellow-green or develop purplish-red spots, and leaves and stems become brittle; roots are thick and short, and the root system is underdeveloped; pollen germination is hindered, fruit formation is reduced, and fruits and seeds are not well filled.

Symptoms of Boron Deficiency in Crops

1. Boron deficiency in wheat: Tillering is abnormal, sometimes no ears emerge, the top leaves are light green, curled and yellowing, old leaves become curved, lose green color and turn pale. During the flowering period, the stamens develop poorly, the anthers are thin and small, empty and shriveled without dehiscing, do not shed pollen, pollen is scarce or deformed, sometimes there is no pollen, the glumes open, the wheat ears appear translucent, and later wither; the plants only flower but do not set seed, the growth period is delayed, and the leaf sheaths sometimes turn purplish-brown.

2. Boron deficiency in corn: Young leaves are weak, white, and die off; broad yellow-white stripes appear on old leaves; the stalks are thin and short, and the kernels are shriveled and irregularly arranged.

3. Boron deficiency in soybean: It generally manifests as reduced disease resistance, a decreased pod-setting rate, and even phenomena such as flowering without setting seed or flowering without podding.

Application Methods of Boron Fertilizer

1. Soil application: For soils with low available boron content, slow-release granular boron fertilizer can be applied to the soil, such as Hefeng granular boron at 200-400 grams per mu or Futaiwei granular boron at 800-1000 grams per mu, to extend the fertilizer supply time of the soil. When sowing crops, mix thoroughly with farmyard manure, chemical fertilizer, or an appropriate amount of dry fine soil and apply as a base fertilizer in holes or furrows, trying to avoid contact with the seeds.

2. Foliar spraying: Foliar spraying of boron fertilizer can be flexibly and timely supplemented according to crop growth conditions, and has the characteristics of saving fertilizer, reducing pollution, and rapid plant absorption, making it the most commonly used boron application method. It can be sprayed on both the front and back of the leaves, but because the stomata are on the back of the leaves, spraying on the back is more effective. Foliar spraying of boron fertilizer should be applied at the right time and in the right amount according to the vegetative or reproductive growth characteristics of the crop. The spraying period should be early rather than late; the number of sprayings should preferably be two or more. At the same time, considering many factors such as the quality and safety of agricultural products, the ecological environment, and resource conservation, it is recommended to spray new types of boron fertilizer with high efficiency and high absorption rates, such as “Hefeng Boron” and “Jinjiapeng”, which are boron fertilizer varieties with high content and high utilization rates.