Borax Treatment Research Articles

Boron Deficiency in California Vineyards

Boron deficiency has been found in certain Caifornia vineyards leached by excessive seasonal rainfall in the unirrigated coastal region, and by low-boron irrigation water on sandy alluvial soils of granitic origin along the east side of the San Joaquin Valley. The foliage symptoms and effects on fruit production are descriped and illustrated by six photographs; they are in complete agreement with symptoms described in reports from other grape-growing regions of the world. Boron levels of representative foliage tissue are presented. Chlorotic leaves have values averaging about 7 to 9 ppm. Bloomtime petioles adjacent to clusters, taken from deficient Carignane and Thompson Seedless vines, show boron levels of 20 to 28 ppm. It is suggested that vineyards of these two varieties may respond to borax treatment (using any of several available materials at rates equivalent to 10 pounds of boric oxide per acre) when bloomtime petioles drop below 30 ppm, and that visual symptoms are likely if values are 25 ppm or less.

The Response of Alfalfa to Borax Fertilizer on Illinois Soils

AbstractA 2‐year study was made of the response of alfalfa to varying rates of borax fertilizer applied to Illinois soils. Fourteen locations differing in water‐soluble boron content, in soil type, and in the type of legume grown were selected; the trials at five of these locations were continued the second year. Borax fertilizer was applied in the spring of the first year (1952) on established legume stands at the rate of 0, 30, 60, and 90 pounds per acre. A randomized blocks design of nine replications was used in measuring the effect of the borax treatment upon seed yield, hay yield, and leaf‐to‐stem weight ratios. A modified Berger‐Truog quinalizarin procedure was used in measuring the water‐soluble boron content of the soils. Details of the modification are given.On soils with low available boron tests, the observed deficiency symptoms were corrected by the applied borax fertilizer. Except for one location, hay yields were not significantly increased by the removal of the deficiency symptoms through borax fertilizer treatment. Seed yields were obtained at only one location, but the data for both 1952 and 1953 indicated that maximum seed production was not obtained even with a 90‐pound borax fertilizer treatment. Leaf‐to‐stem ratios, measured only in 1953, showed some variation with the rate of treatment but the data were not adequate to warrant any conclusions regarding the effect of borax on hay quality.The general conclusion was that many of the soils in Illinois are at a stage of boron indigence at which boron deficiency symptoms are produced readily, especially under climatic extremes. In only a relatively few cases are the soils low enough in available boron to reduce the yield of alfalfa hay.

The relationship between the boron contents of soils and swede roots

AbstractBy boiling a I : 2 suspension of soil in water under reflux for 15 minutes, a quantity of boron was extracted which gave a good index of the amount available to plants. If this ‘available’ boron fell below 0.7‐1.0 p.p.m. of air‐dried soil, raan (brown heart) was liable to occur in swedes grown in the area.Dressings to the soil of up to 30 lb. of borax per acre increased the available boron by substantial amounts. The boron content of the swedes cropped was also raised considerably and the incidence of raan lowered, and no toxic effects of borax treatment were noted. There was no effect on yield of roots and only a little on dry‐matter content.An application of limestone to a heavy soil, bringing the pH up to 8‐1, caused only negligible symptoms of raan in a swede crop and did not appear to fix any of the applied boron.