Boron availability and uptake under increasing phosphorus rates in a pot experiment

Abstract

The boron (B) availability in soils, B uptake and possible B interactions with phosphorus (P) were studied in a pot experiment with increasing P rates. Three soil types of different characteristics were used for the experiment that lasted two years. The two soil tests were used in the experiment – Mehlich 3 and NH4-acetate. Significant positive correlations were found between barley dry matter yield, B content in plants and B uptake under increasing P treatments (P ≤ 0.001). The significant relationship for B content (P ≤ 0.001) was obtained between the used soil tests for all tested soils. A decrease of soil B content in soils under increasing P doses was determined. NH4-acetate soil test showed a significant relationship between B and P contents (P ≤ 0.001) within the studied soils in comparison with the Mehlich 3 method. Considering individual soils, the NH4-acetate test showed more often higher significance in comparison with the Mehlich 3 test. The interactions between P and B in soils should be taken in consideration when deciding about the phosphorus fertilization.