Boron Functions in Plants and Animals: Recent Advances in Boron Research and Open Questions

Abstract

Boron, an element ubiquitous in the earth’s crust can be found in most soil types as well as in fresh and salt water, consequently, boron is a natural constituent in the human diet (Nemodruk and Karalova, 1969, Meacham and Hunt, 1998). In a typical adult daily intakes of boron were measured to be approximately 1 mg/day (Meacham and Hunt, 1998, Rainey et al. 1999). Boron is considered an essential micronutrient for higher plants; however, the most recent US dietary recommendations concluded that insufficient evidence existed to consider boron an essential micronutrient for humans (Warrington, 1923, Loomis and Durst, 1992, IOM, 2001). However, evidence does exist that indicates boron plays a beneficial role in some physiological processes of various animal species and measurable responses to adjusted boron intakes in humans have been observed (Rowe and Echkert, 1999, Nielsen, 1998).