UPTAKE AND PHLOEM MOBILITY OF FOLIAR-APPLIED, LABELLED BORON IN VARIOUS TREE FRUIT SPECIES

Abstract

Factors affecting the phloem mobility of foliar-applied B have received little study. The purpose of this experiment was to evaluate foliar retention of B solutions, foliar uptake kinetics, and phloem mobility of foliar-applied B among four tree fruit species. Leaves on current-year shoots of nonbearing 'Red Delicious' apple, 'Bartlett' pear, 'French' prune, and 'Bing' cherry were immersed in 1000 mg/liter B solutions (supplied as 10B-enriched boric acid) in midsummer. Export of the applied label from leaves was monitored between 0 and 24 h, and throughout the following 20 days by ICP-mass spectrometry. Uptake by leaves increased steadily in all species between 0 and 24 h, and reached 80% to 95% of the applied quantity within 24 h. By 24 h, 62% to 75% of the applied label, depending on species, had been exported from the treated leaves. Apple leaves retained, absorbed, and exported over twice the amount of labelled B as prune and pear leaves, and nearly four times the amount of cherry leaves. Foliar retention largely controlled the capacity for uptake and export.