ISHS Acta Horticulturae 715: VIII International Symposium on Vaccinium Culture
EVALUATION OF THE LEAF BORON STANDARD FOR VACCINIUM ANGUSTIFOLIUM AIT. |
| Author: | J.M. Smagula |
| Keywords: | lowbush blueberry, nutrition, foliar spray, fruit set, fertilizer |
| Abstract:
Soil-applied GranuborŪ (14.3% B) at 2.24 kg B/ha and foliar-applied SoluborŪ (20.5 % B) at 0.74 kg B/ha, applied with or without DAP (448 kg/ha), was compared to a control and to DAP without B. DAP and soil-applied B were applied preemergent and foliar-applied B in mid June 2001 to 1.5 m x 15 m treatment plots in a RCB design with 7 blocks. Crop-year plots (2002) were split, half receiving 0.74 kg B/ha from SoluborŪ. Fruit set for 20 tagged stems/subplot was measured. Leaf B concentrations were below the 24 ppm standard in control plots and was raised to the reported sufficiency level by both soil-applied B and foliar-applied B, but this had no effect on stem length, branching, flower bud formation, fruit set or yield. Crop-year B application raised leaf B but had no effect on fruit set. DAP, with or without B, raised leaf N and P concentrations, stem length, and yield. Raising leaf B levels to above 24 ppm did not increase fruit set or yield in this and previous studies and suggests that the standard for B is too high. | |
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