Boron Does Not Increase Hazelnut Fruit Set and Production

Abstract

In a 3-year experiment in two drip-irrigated orchards on the Mediterranean coast, boron (B) sprays applied at rates of 0.6 and 1.2 g per tree and a soil B application of 12 g per tree did not increase fruit set or production of Corylus avellana L. `Negret' and `Pauetet' hazelnuts with mid to low foliar B levels (14.3 to 21.8 μg·g-1 dry mass). The average fruit set and nut yields of the trials were, respectively, 66% and 3.54 kg per tree for `Pauetet', and 50% and 4.54 kg per tree for `Negret'. The lack of response to B applications might be due to 1) initial fruit set levels were high; 2) the current B recommendation guidelines (25 to 30 μg·g-1 dry mass) might be adequate for fruit set and yield; 3) the rates of B applied might be too low; and 4) weather and soil conditions, cultivars, and biennial bearing may have masked any response to foliar B application.