01 November, 2016
Is Boron Deficiency Slowing Your Oilseed Rape Establishment?
Oilseed rape has a high requirement for boron, as do all brassicas, deficiency can cause poor crop establishment and increased plant losses over winter followed by poorer spring regrowth and ultimately reduced yield.
Boron has several key roles in plants which include cell wall biosynthesis, carbohydrate and protein metabolism, cell division/elongation and also root and shoot growing points.
Root and shoot development are obviously key to establishing the plant early on to ensure that it gets off to the best start to help combat pests and diseases. Also during this period the plant is growing very rapidly and therefore having a sufficient amount of boron present is essential to keep the root and shoot development rate optimum.
Boron is the only nutrient which, when in short supply, can accelerate physiological processes instead of reduce them and therefore abnormal growth can occur. Symptoms of boron deficiency on oilseed rape start on the younger leaves of the plant and they appear crinkled, deformed and brittle. Necrotic patches may appear at the leaf margins and the plants may appear stunted. Stems can also be affected with hollow lesions occurring and splitting of the stems. Some of these symptoms can be made worse by sandy, alkaline soils low in organic matter as well as high levels of calcium present. Find further information on the symptoms and causes of Boron Deficiency in Oilseed Rape.
Yara oilseed rape trials have shown yield responses of 0.2t/ha to autumn applications of boron and around 0.4t/ha if followed by a further spring application. YaraVita BORTRAC or YaraVita Brassitrel Pro in the autumn and again in the spring would be recommended so boron deficiency doesn’t occur.
Vegetable Brassicas also require boron in quite large amounts where it helps control nutritional disorders such as tip burn and hollow heart. Find further information on the symptoms and causes of Boron Deficiency in Vegetable Brassicas.
Yara brassica trials have also highlighted the synergy between calcium and boron, improving the uptake of each nutrient and improving the control of associated disorders, not only in brassicas but also in other crops showing a response to calcium and boron such as potatoes.
YaraLiva NITRABOR contains a balanced combination of soluble nitrate nitrogen, calcium and boron that can be safely applied to green crops right up to harvest without fear of scorch to enhance both the quality and marketable yield of vegetable brassicas.
Find out more about either Oilseed Rape Nutrition or Vegetable Brassica Nutrition
