Use of boric acid solutions in organic liquids as boron-containing fertilizers. Influence on yield and chemical composition of white mustard seeds

Abstract

Concentrated solutions of boric acid in monoethanolamine, diethanolamine, triethanolamine, glycerol, and ethylene glycol with H3BO3 content of 25.6, 19.9, 22.9, 20.4, and 19.5 wt. % were tested as boron-containing microfertilizers on the example of white mustard. Solutions in organic liquids were repeatedly diluted with water before use. Agronomic studies were carried out as part of a field experiment on the basis of the Nizhny Novgorod Research Institute of Agriculture, a branch of the Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution of the Federal Research Center of the North-East, in 2021 on light gray forest medium loamy soil. In terms of mustard green mass yield, compared with the control variant, a significant increase was noted only in the variant with the use of glycerol and diethanolamine borate. Evaluation of the influence of the studied solutions on the crop yield of the experimental cultures showed that the greatest effect was observed when boric acid dissolved in glycerol was used. The studied solutions did not have a positive effect on the chemical composition of plant products, however, according to reference data mustard had a high content of nitrogen (more than 4.50%) and potassium (more than 0.59%). It is economically most expedient to cultivate a crop against the background of foliar feeding by glycerol borate. In addition, foliar top dressing with di- and triethanolamine borates is economically justified. A positive effect on the sowing qualities of seeds was noted in the case of boric acid dissolved in glycerol. Thus, in terms of germination energy, the maximum values were established when seeds were treated with boric acid in glycerol (the range from 86 to 96%). Germination values up to 100% were achieved with a 0.005% aqueous solution of boric acid, boric acid in monoethanolamine (0.005–0.050% concentration), boric acid in glycerol (0.001–0.005% concentration). The longest seedling was noted in the variant with a 0.100% solution of boric acid in glycerol (7.8 cm).