ISHS Acta Horticulturae 779: International Symposium on Growing Media
THE EFFECTS OF INCREASING LEVELS OF BORON ON THE GROWTH AND YIELD OF STRAWBERRIES GROWN IN PEAT-BASED SYSTEMS |
| Authors: | N.C. Bragg, B.J. Chambers, J.S. Davies, I.R. Richards |
| Keywords: | strawberries, fertilizer, boron, toxicity symptoms, peat-based systems |
| DOI: | 10.17660/ActaHortic.2008.779.25 |
| Abstract:
Data on the effects of variable boron levels on the growth and yield of strawberry crops is largely restricted to historic studies derived from sand culture or soil grown crops. Currently within the UK at least 10% of the cropping area of strawberries is in peat-based substrates. In this paper, we report a study undertaken in 2002 where 7 levels of boron fertilizer between 0.03% and 4.5% weight/volume (equating to 0.3 to 45 mg/L of growing medium) were incorporated into a peat-based substrate, with all other base nutrients used at recommended commercial input levels. Strawberry plants (cv: Elsanta), raised either as module plants or taken from cold storage as bare-root plants, were transplanted into the peat-based substrate mixes in 'Growbags'. Throughout the period of the study, there were clear relationships (P<0.01) between the input levels of boron to the substrate and levels recovered by the water extraction method used. There were also positive relationships (P<0.01) between the substrate boron levels and leaf tissue analyses. The study confirmed that the growth and fruit development of strawberry plants was affected by initial boron levels in the substrate, with yields and quality progressively reduced by the increasing boron levels. Boron levels above the 0.15% addition rate resulted in browning of the leaf edge on older leaves, plus discolouration of the calyx, which reduced the acceptability of the fruit to the market. Boron levels at or above the 2.25% addition rate resulted in severe reductions in plant vigour and ultimately plant death. Module grown plants appeared to be more tolerant of higher boron levels than bare-rooted plants, through the delayed appearance of visual symptoms, but both plant types showed similar yield decreases to increasing rates of boron incorporation. | |
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