Borates Today recently issued a news release titled Citrus Fruits and Boron: What You Need to Know. A summary follows:
Boron is a trace element used in the production of citrus fruits. It is required for proper plant development and preserving consistent fruit yield and quality. The element has a role in flower initiation, pollen germination, nitrogen metabolism, hormonal influences and calcium maintenance. It is often lacking in many soils.
Boron is a vital nutrient as a non-ionized atom in soil solution, and plant roots acquire this as boric acid. When acquired, the nutrient is distributed to various plant organs via the transpiration stream.
DEFICIENCY CAUSES
Various soil conditions that lead to boron deficiency include:
- Acidic soils, irrespective of parent material with excess boron leached out
- Soils that are naturally low in boron, particularly those arising from igneous and metamorphic sandstone rocks
- Alkaline soils that are rich in total boron but poor in available boron
- Laterite soils with limited silica and strong iron and manganese content
- Acid sludge or peat soils
- Soil with low clay composition
PRODUCTION EFFECTS
Boron’s effects on citrus fruit production include:
- Fruit yield: Citrus is highly boron sensitive, resulting in significant yields.
- Fruit number and fruit weight: The number of citrus fruit per tree is increased, fruit drop is reduced, and fruit weight is higher.
- Juice content: Boron supplies positively influence juice content by speeding up ripening and maturity, thus increasing crop marketability.
- Total dissolved solids: Boron directly impacts fruit quality by escalating sugar content.
- Vitamin C: Boron can boost the vitamin C content of fruit.
Learn more here from the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences about boron’s role in citrus production.
Source: Borates Today
Share this Post
Sponsored Content