Diagnosis of zinc and boron availability in emerging vegetable‐based crop rotations in Nepal

Abstract

AbstractBackground: Nepal's traditional rice–wheat rotation systems are subject to continuing changes. Changing consumer demand currently drives a replacement of wheat by high‐value vegetables during the dry season, while emerging water shortages lead to a substitution of rice by maize in the wet season. Hence, associated changes in soil aeration status and shifting conditions of soil nutrient supply to match crop nutrient demand are expected to increase the requirements for the principle limiting micro‐nutrients such as boron (B) and zinc (Zn).Aim: Our aim was to investigate the changes in B and Zn availability as well as crop yields and nutrient uptake after system shifts from rice to maize and from wheat to vegetables.Method: We analyzed the B and Zn availability in rice‐ and maize‐based systems as well as crop yields and the nutrient uptake by wheat, cauliflower, and tomato during the dry season in Nepal. Plants were grown at two field sites (midhills vs. lowland) and under greenhouse conditions using soils from the field sites.Results: A change from irrigated rice to maize reduced soil C and N contents with resulting decreases in dry season crop yields. Low soil Zn after rice cultivation led to shortage in Zn uptake by vegetables in both greenhouse and field experiments. The shift from wheat to vegetables increased the demand for B and to a lesser extent for Zn, and consequently vegetables showed visual symptoms of B deficiency. Boron concentrations in dry biomass were below the critical limits with < 10 mg B kg−1 in wheat, < 21 mg B kg−1 in cauliflower, and < 23 mg B kg−1 in tomato.Conclusions: Soils in larger parts of Nepal are low in available B and that the ongoing system shifts increase in the demand for B and Zn in the currently emerging and more diversified production systems.