Boron deficiency is an uncommon disorder affecting plants growing in deficient soils and is often associated with areas of high rainfall and leached soils. Boron may be present but locked up in soils with a high pH, and the deficiency may be worse in wet seasons.
Symptoms[]
Symptoms include dying growing tips and bushy stunted growth, extreme cases may prevent fruit set. Crop-specific symptoms include:
Beetroot[]
Rough, cankered patches on roots, internal brown rot.
Cabbage[]
Distorted leaves, hollow areas in stems
Cauliflower[]
Poor development of curds, and brown patches. Stems, leafstalks and midribs roughened.
Celery[]
Leaf stalks develop cracks on the upper surface, inner tissue is reddish brown. Stem crack develops along vascular tissue.
Celeriac[]
Leaf stalks develop cracks on the upper surface, inner tissue is reddish brown.
Swede and Turnip[]
Brown or grey concentric rings develop inside the roots.
Treatment[]
Boric acid (16.5%boron), borax (11.3% boron) or SoluBor (20.5% boron) can be applied to soils to correct boron deficiency. Typical applications are about 1.1 kg/hectare or 1.0 lb/acre of actual boron. Borax, boric acid or Solubor can be dissolved in water and sprayed or applied to soil as a dust. Excess boron is toxic to plants so care must be taken to ensure correct application rate and even coverage. Leaves of many plants are damaged by boron; therefore, when in doubt, only apply to soil.
Examples[]
References[]
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Beet troubles |
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Beetroot · Perpetual spinach | |
Adverse conditions | Boron deficiency · Frost · Overwatering |
Diseases | Bacterial blight (beet) · Beet cercospora disease · Beet curly top virus · Beet leaf curl virus · Beet necrotic yellow vein virus · Common scab · Fusarium wilt · Powdery mildew · Rhizoctonia solani · Rust · Southern blight |
Pests | Cabbage Moth · Mangold fly · Swift moth |
Brassica troubles |
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Broccoli · Brussels sprout · Cabbage · Cauliflower · Kale · Kohl rabi · Radish · Swede · Turnip | |
Adverse conditions | Blown sprouts · Bolting · Boron deficiency · Button cauliflower · Calcium deficiency · Heartless cabbage · Magnesium deficiency · Manganese deficiency · Molybdenum deficiency · Nitrogen deficiency · Split heart |
Diseases | Anthracnose · Bacterial soft rot · Black leaf spot · Black rot · Brassica dark leaf spot · Club root · Downey mildew · Grey leaf spot (Brassica) · Turnip mosaic virus · Sclerotinia rot · White leaf spot · White leaf spot (Brassica) · White rust · Wire stem |
Pests | Aphid · Cabbage aphid · Cabbage Moth · Cabbage root fly · Cabbage Whitefly · Cutworm · Diamondback moth · Flea beetle · Large White · Pigeon · Silver Y moth · Slug · Small White · Swede midge · Thrips |