Effects of boron fertilization of spring cereals depending on application methods

Abstract

The study is a comparison of effects produced by boron fertilization applied to spring barley and oats, grown on light soil, low in available boron, in relation to the application method (pre-sowing, top dressing, foliar applications) and rates of the element. The study was carried out as a three-year series of one-year, two-factor strict field trials (the splitplot design). It has been demonstrated that top dressing with boron applied to soil at the tillering stage as well as foliar fertilization during the stem elongation stage can significantly improve yields. Grain of both cereals from the control plots showed symptoms of insufficient boron nutrition, which were absent when boron fertilization had been applied. Presowing fertilization, although not affecting the yields, improved the supply of grain with boron. Differences between the cereal species were found in terms of boron concentrations in vegetative organs of the cereals and in their response to higher availability of this nutrient. Compared to spring barley, oats was characterised by a much higher content of boron in vegetative parts and was more responsive to increased concentrations of boron in soil.