Boron Deficiency in Plants

Although relatively uncommon, Boron Deficiency is one of the few things that and gardeners have to remedy. It often affects regions with high rainfall, most probably due to erosion, and leached soils.

Benefits of Boron in Plants
Boron provides series of benefits to plants, some of which are as follow:

involvement in carbohydrate metabolism in plants

involvement in protein synthesis

assistance in germination of pollen grains and sugar translocation

stabilization of the plant’s cell walls

growth of pollen tubes

List of Common Crops Affected by Boron Deficiency a. Apple

b. Cabbage
c. Strawberries d. Celery
e. Cauliflower f. Pears
g. Turnip

How to Identify Plants with Boron Deficiency
Plants, which are affected by Boron deficiencies, exhibit the following traits:

yellowing and death of growing points in plants referred to as chlorosis

formation of rosettes, bushy growth, multiple branching, and side shooting

inability of roots to spread out and develop properly

cracking, thickening, and distortion of stems

dark and colored corky areas of root crops

bud or blossom dropping

appearance of brown sunken areas on the fruit

How to Remedy Boron Deficiency in Plants
To help fix this deficiency, farmers and gardeners are recommended to use boric acid, borax, or Solubor accordingly. These are to be dissolved in water and sprayed or applied to the soil in minimal amount. Excessive boron fertilizer used on the soil will only hasten the condition. Guarantee to use the correct application rate and frequency; otherwise you will be doing more damage to the plant than good.