SOME EFFECTS OF BORON SUPPLY ON THE CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF TOMATO LEAFLETS

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
The effects of B supply, ranging from deficient to toxic concs., on the chem. composition of tomato leaflets were examined. Results from 2 expts. using plants grown in sand culture are reported. The concs. of K, Ca, Mg, S, Na, P, N, Mo, Cu, Mn, Zn, Fe, Co, and B were used as criteria of chem. composition. As B supply was increased, the conc. of this element in leaflet material was significantly increased. There were also significant and large differences between treatments with respect to the conc. of most of the other elements examined, as B supply was increased. The conc. of some elements was altered as much as several hundred %. The results reported offer a possible explanation for confusion which exists in the literature. E.g., reports of trends involving increased Mg, Ca or K cones., or decreased Mg, Ca or K cones. associated with increased B supply could all be supported by these data if one assumes different initial levels of B supply. It was evident that B supply had specific effects with respect to different elements, since the trends shown in plant composition for varying B supply were completely dissimilar for different elements. Differences between trends shown for various elements could not be correlated with the type of ion (cation or anion), the valence of ions, or total growth of the plants. The possible importance of these effects with respect to plant nutrition and to the nutritive value of food crops is discussed.