Table Of ContentBORON IN SOILS AND PLANTS
Developments in Plant and Soil Sciences
VOLUME 76
The titles published in this series are listed at the end of this volume.
Boron in Soils and Plants
Proceedings of the International Symposium on Boron in Soils and Plants
held at Chiang Mai, Thailand, 7-11 September, 1997
Edited by
R. W. BELL
School of Environmental Science, Division ofSciences, Murdoch University, WA 6150, Australia
and
B.RERKASEM
Multiple Cropping Centre, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand 50200
SPRINGER-SCIENCE+BUSINESS MEDIA, B.V.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
ISBN 978-94-010-6344-9 ISBN 978-94-011-5564-9 (eBook)
DOI 10.1007/978-94-011-5564-9
Printed an acid-free paper
Ali rights reserved
©1997 Springer Science+Eusiness Media Dordrecht
Originally published by Kluwer Academic Publishers in 1997
Softcover reprint ofthe hardcover Ist edition 1997
No part ofthe material protected by this copyright notice may be reproduced
or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic Of mechanical,
including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and
retrieval system, without written permission from the copyright owner.
List of referees
R. L. Aitken
R. N. Noppakoonwong
R. W. Bell
Z. Rengel
D. G. Blevins
B. Rerkasem
I.Cakmak
R. N. Sah
D. G. Edwards
B. J. Shelp
H. Goldbach
V. M. Shorrocks
S. Goldberg
M. Thellier
u. C. Gupta
D. Turner
E. J. Hanson
1. R. Willet
L. B. Huang
J. W. C. Wong
S. Jamjod
J. R. Woodruff
T. Matoh
X. Yang
J. McGrath
B. A. Zarcinas
vi
List of sponsors
Principal sponsor
Borax International
Major sponsors
The Australia International Development Assistance Bureau (AusAID)
Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR)
XIII th International Plant Nutrition Colloquium
Thai Soils and Fertiliser Society
Symposium organisers
Chiang Mai University
Murdoch University
Thai Soils and Fertiliser Society
Executive Committee for Boron in Soils and Plants
Richard Bell
Patrick Brown
Bernie Dell
Robin Graham
Longbin Huang
Irb Kheoruenromne
Jack Loneragan
Toru Matoh
Benjavan Rerkasem
Victor M. Shorrocks
International Advisory Group
Pax Blarney, University of Queensland, Australia
Mitsuo Chino, Tokyo University, Japan
the late H. Marschner, Hohenheim University, Germany
Ankasith Pongsakul, Dean, Faculty of Agriculture, Chiang Mai University, Thailand
A. D. Robson, University of Western Australia, Australia
K. Shivashankar, University of Agricultural Science, Bangalore, India
Sompong Thirawong, President, Soils and Fertiliser Society of Thailand Ross Welch, Cornell University, PR China
I. R. Willett, Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research, Australia
Yuai Yang, Zhejiang Agricultural University, PR China
Fusuo Zhang, China Agricultural University, PR China
vii
Preface
The economic significance of boron (B) in agriculture, horticulture, and forestry has been beyond dispute for
several decades. Even in the last two decades, the areas where B deficiency limits plant production has grown
with increased reports from China, south Asia and southeast Asia. The present volume is reflective of the growing
awareness of the significance of low soil B with reports from Australia, Bangladesh, Brazil, north, central and
southern China, India, Nepal, and the North West Frontier Province of Pakistan contained herein. Boron deficiency
also continues to be a problem for crop yield and quality in areas where B deficiency has been known for some
time, for example in Germany and the USA. The problem of low soil B is not limited to effects on field crop yield,
with papers reporting on depressed wood yield and quality in timber trees (Lambert et al.), and depressed fruit
quality (Dong et al.; Smith et al.: Zude et al.) also appearing in the present volume. Globally, Shorrocks (1997)1
estimates that ?? tonnes of B fertiliser is applied annually in agriculture. The economic benefits from the use of B
fertiliser have not been quantified but are clearly enormous.
Paradoxically, the clear economic imperatives for using B fertiliser on low B soils are not matched by a similar
clarity of understanding of the role and functions of B in plants. Several decades of research on B have been
largely descriptive and contained significant speculation about the putative roles of boron. A consensus has been
emerging that the most fundamental property of B in plants is the tendency of boric acid and the borate ion to form
complexes with cis-diol functional groups. The reversible nature of these complexes and their pH dependence are
severe impediments to the in vivo characterisation of B in plant cells. The reversibility of the chelation of B is
illustrated by Findeklee et al. who showed an alteration of cell wall elasticity and hydraulic conductivity within
minutes when roots are transferred to solution lacking B.
The state-of-the art with B research is reviewed in the accompanying monograph of invited reviews, 'Boron
in Soil and Plants,2. Evidence is now clearly behind the cell wall being the locus of the primary role of B in
plants. Several new technical developments have positioned B research to move to a new level of understanding.
The most significant of these developments is the increased use of inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry
(Kerrien et al.; Shu), immunocyto-chemistry (Takasaki et al.), and fluorescence probes (Glusenkamp et al.) all of
which provide opportunities for locating B in cells and the compounds with which it is associated in vivo. Papers
in the present volume illustrate the use of all of these techniques in relation to location of B in cell walls, and the
remobilisation of B.
Two contentious issues have repeatedly dogged the discussion of B in plants: the extent of B remobilisation
in plants, and the extent of active uptake of B. The situation with B retranslocation is now substantially clearer.
The phloem mobility of B has now been shown to be unique amongst other elements in that its phloem mobility
is species dependent. In species which transport B in the phloem, the efficacy of B foliar application is greatly
enhanced compared to other species. However, even in species which only weakly re-translocate B, considerable
interest is attached to differences in re-translocation of different forms of applied B (Kerrien et al.).
Whilst there is clear evidence that B uptake is largely a passive process, nevertheless at low external B in solution
sunflower absorbed B at a rate faster than explained by simple diffusion (Pfeffer et al.; Dannel et al.). It is suggested
that B uptake takes place by a facilitated diffusion but further research is needed to identify the mechanisms by
which such a facilitated diffusion of B can occur.
Boron toxicity is a significant problem in several cereal producing areas of the world, and has prompted breeding
and selection programmes to identify tolerant germplasm (Chantachume et al.; Jamjod et al.; Yau et al.). Concerns
also surround the possibility of B toxicity from the use of wastewater containing B, and from the use of waste
products like flue gas desulfurization products (Tsadilas; Dowdy et al.). However, two papers in the present volume
challenge a long held dogma of B research that a narrow range exists between deficiency and toxicity of B (Blarney
et al.; Chapman et al.). Blarney and colleagues present evidence from carefully controlled solution culture studies
that several species tolerate a wide range of external B concentrations be tween deficiency and toxicity. Further
I Shorrocks V. M., 1997. In Boron in Soils and Plants. Eds B. Dell, P. H. Brown and R. W. Bell. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht,
The Netherlands.
2 Dell B., Brown P. H. and Bell R. W. (Eds) 1997 Boron in Soils and Plants. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, The Netherlands.
VIlI
consideration of this issue is warranted because at face value the results suggest that the concerns about B toxicity
from overuse of B fertiliser may be overstated.
Many people deserve special thanks for enabling us to bring to a conclusion the task of editing the present
volume. We pay special tribute to two people who have directly and indirectly contributed to our involvement as
joint-editors of this volume. Professor Alan Robson offered the initial encouragement to us to hold the International
Symposium on Boron in Soils and Plants. Professor Jack Loneragan provided the circumstances that bought us
together to work initially on B in northern Thailand in the mid- 1980s. More importantly, both of them are our
teachers and have continued to inspire us through their leadership, clear thinking, energy and enthusiasm for
research on micronutrients.
Twenty seven referees generously reviewed papers for us and adhered closely to the tight schedules set. Most
of them are listed below, and whilst some have chosen to remain anonymous we thank them all for their rigour,
punctuality and constructive criticism of manuscripts.
It would not have been possible to undertake the task of mounting the International Symposium on Boron in Soils
and Plants (Boron97) without the assistance of our sponsors. Initially, the generosity of the XIII th International
Plant Nutrition Colloquium under the chair of Professor Mitsuo Chino in providing sponsorship gave us the seed
funding to begin planning the Symposium and the encouragement to proceed. The Borax Group have been very
generous in funding the symposium, the attendance of several invited speakers, and of three delegates. Without their
substantial contribution, it is doubtful that we would have continued with the task of organising the Symposium.
We thank Terry Lynch and Martin Phillips for their interest in Boron97 and for their flexibility in assisting the
Symposium. We also acknowledge the assistance of Dr Vic Shorrocks in negotiating the sponsorship arrangements
with the Borax Group.
The Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) provided funding for two invited speakers
from Australia to participate in Boron97, and for the attendance of another eight authors of contributed papers from
Third World countries. AusAID's support is gratefully acknowledged because one of the goals ofthe Boron97 was
to promote the presentation and publication of good quality research on B occurring in Third World countries. For
many of the authors, it was their first experience of publishing in a peer reviewed, international publication. The
Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) generously sponsored the publication of the
present volume and its companion, the invited review papers of Boron in Soils and Plants. Participants from several
ACIAR-funded projects in Thailand and China have contributed papers in the proceedings and written invited
reviews also. In some respects the holding of the Symposium in Thailand can be directly attributed to the previous
support of research on B by ACIAR. With ACIAR sponsorship of the proceedings and invited reviews, copies of
the two volumes will be distributed to interested scientists in Third World countries as well as participants. We are
confident that the support from AusAID and ACIAR will not only ensure that scientists from allover the world
become familiar with some high quality research in Third World countries but also that the learning experience will
assist in the career development of Third World scientists, not to mention the increase in agricultural production on
low B soils.
The Thai Soils and Fertilisers Society (TSFS) has enthusiastically worked to support Boron97 by obtaining
sponsorship within Thailand and by faciliating participation by Thai scientists. We thank especially Associate
Professor Irb Kheoruenromne who was the liaison between Boron 97 and TSFS, former President of TSFS,
Professor Sorasith Vacharotayan, and the currrent President, Mr Sompong Thirawong.
Chiang Mai University provided considerable support to Boron97, especially by allowing staff within the
Faculty of Agriculture to contribute their time to the task of local organisation of the Symposium. We are grateful
for the support of the Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture, and the Head of the Multiple Cropping Center.
The Thai Department of Agriculture, Soil Science and Horticulture Divisions assisted with the one day field
trip to Hang Chat by preparing field demonstrations of B response and allocating staff to assist with the displays.
Ad Plaizier and his team at Kluwer Academic Publishers have been a pleasure to work with and are to be
complemented in having the Proceedings ready for distribution to delegates at the Symposium.
At Chiang Mai University, we were ably assisted by Rojare Noppakoonwong who organised the field trip, by
Sananee Jamjod who made the arrangements for the presentation of posters, and by Somjit Jina who provided
valuable administrative assistance. At Murdoch University, the editing task has been assisted by Judith Adams
who typed revisions and reformatted manuscripts, and by Mark Gheradi who proof read final manuscripts and
ix
prepared hard copy and disk copies of manuscripts before submission. Other members of the Executive committee
of Boron97 (see above) have supported and assisted us in the task of organising the Symposium and the publication
of the present volume. We offer them all our sincere thanks.
Table of Contents
BORON RESPONSES IN FIELD CROPS
1. The problem of boron deficiency in crop production in Bangladesh
S. Ahmed and M. B. Hossain
2. Effects of boron, potassium, sulfur, magnesium application on rapeseed and mulberry yield and quality 7
F. Chen, J. W. Lu, Y. F. Wan, D. B. Liu and Y. S. Xu
3. A foliar boron nutrition and insecticide program for soybean 11
G. J. Gascho and R. M. McPherson
4. Soil boron content and the effects of boron application on yields of maize, soybean, rice and sugarbeet 17
in Heilonjiang province, P R China
Y. Li and H. Liang
5. Sunflower response to boron as affected by liming 23
E. C. A. Souza, C. A. Rosolem and E. L. M. Coutinho
6. Covering plants at night in the winter increased seed yield of transplanted oilseed rape (Brassica napus 29
L. cv. Zheyouyou 2) on a low boron soil.
Z. Q. Ye, R. W. Bell, L. B. Huang, Y. Yang and B. Dell
7. Effects of boron and iron on yield and yield components of wheat. 35
K. Zada and M. Afzal
RESIDUAL EFFECTS OF BORON FERTILIZER APPLICATION
8. Flue gas desulfurization residue: a boron source for alfalfa production. 39
R. H. Dowdy, J. J. Sloan, G. W. Rehm and M. S. Dolan
9. Long-term field experiment on the application of slow-release boron fertilizer. Part 1 Effect of boron 43
on crop growth.
S. Eguchi and Y. Yamada
10. Long-term field experiment on the application of slow-release boron fertilizer. Part 2 Behaviour of 49
boron in the soil.
S. Eguchi and Y. Yamada
II. The influence of boron fertilizer on distribution of extractable boron in soil profiles in rape-rice rotations 57
in southeast China.
K. Wang, J. M. Xu, Y. Z. Wei, Y. A. Yang and R. W. Bell
METHODS AND PROCEDURES OF BORON DETERMINATION IN PLANTS AND SOILS
12. Boron analysis at different stages of the cell cycle in cultured tobacco cells 63
H. Iikura, T. Kataoka, M. Tamada, T. M. Nakanishi, and C. Yonezawa
13. Analysis by Prompt Gamma-Ray method with cold neutrons of boron and other elements in soybean. 69
T. M. Nakanishi, H. Iikura, T. Kataoka, M. Tamada, J. Furukawa and C. Yonezawa
