Effect of Different Boron Application Schedules on Yields, Boron Concentration and Uptake of Rice-Wheat Rotation and Changes in Chemical Fractions of Soil Boron

• Published in: Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis 2024-08, Vol.55 (14), p.2169-2180
• Main Authors: Pachauri, S. P., Srivastava, P. C., Pathak, Anand, Behera, S. K., Shukla, A. K.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agricultural practices; Agricultural production; Ammonium; Ammonium compounds; Borax; Boron; Boron uptake; Cereal crops; chemical fractions in soil; Crop rotation; Crop yield; Grain; mollisol; Nutrition; Potassium phosphate; Potassium phosphates; Rice; Rotation; Sandy loam; Schedules; Soil; Soil chemistry; Soil fertility; Soils; Sustainable yield; Wheat
• ISSN: 0010-3624; 1532-2416; 1532-4133
• DOI: 10.1080/00103624.2024.2346224

The yields realized under rice-wheat rotation are generally low in the geographical regions prone to B deficiency and a sound B application schedule recommendation is required for the sustainable yields and enhanced soil fertility. The effect of different B application schedules involving different dosages and frequency of B application was investigated on yields and B nutrition of rice-wheat rotation and changes in the chemical fractions of B in soil in six years field study carried out on a sandy loam (Typic hapludoll). Based on the average grain yields of rice and wheat during the period of experimentation, application of 1.5 kg B as borax ha −1 to rice crop on alternate years was the profitable practice for mollisols as it gave an average yearly production of 5.51 t of rice grain and 4.28 t of wheat grain ha −1 . The average concentration of B in flag leaves and grains of rice was much lower compared to wheat crop. The recommended schedule of B application to rice-wheat rotation resulted in a Benefit: Cost ratio of 11: 1 and also maintained the optimum level of B in soil. Most of the added B markedly increased specifically bound (0.05 M KH 2 PO 4 extractable), ammonium oxalate (pH 3.3) extractable fractions followed by residual and organically bound fraction in the soil.