Critical Limit of Boron in Soil and Cauliflower

Abstract

Boron plays an important role in crop nutrition. Cauliflower expresses its sensitivity towards boron application which ultimately decides the potential of crop yield and the quality of curds. In this study, we presented the assessment of the critical level of soil boron concentration by graphical and statistical procedures using cauliflower as a test crop. Thirty (30) soil samples collected from three rice growing sub-division of Imphal-west district were used for conducting the pot experiment. The experiment was laid out in a Completely Randomized Design with six treatments replicated thrice. The treatments setting were as follows: T0= Control, T1= 0.5 mg B kg-1 soil, T2= 1 mg B kg-1 soil, T3= 1.5 mg B kg-1 soil, T4= 2 mg B kg-1 soil and T5= 2.5 mg B kg-1 soil. The plants were harvested at curd formation stage and used for estimation of the critical limits of boron. The critical level of boron concentration in soil and plant was found to be 0.46 and 24.50 mg kg-1, respectively, by graphical procedure, whereas by statistical procedure it was found to be 0.45 and 24.59 mg kg-1 in soil and plant, respectively. It was evident that critical limits worked out by both the procedures, i.e., graphically and statistically, were closely related. These values may be used to predict the response of cauliflower to the applied boron. The range between the deficiency and toxicity for boron in plants is little, therefore utmost care in management should be taken.