Boron is a chemical element with the element symbol B. The content of boron in the earth's crust is 0.001. Boron is a black or silver-gray solid. Boron is a non-metallic chemical element with atomic number 5. There are only three electrons in the outermost shell of the boron atom, which are tightly attracted by the positive charge of the nucleus, thus tending to obtain electrons. Elemental boron is an icosahedral crystal, with each face being an equilateral triangle. Boron always adopts this polyhedral structure when forming compounds. Elemental boron is a black or dark brown powder. When oxidized in air, the formation of a boron trioxide film prevents the internal boron from continuing to oxidize. It can react with fluorine at room temperature and is not corroded by hydrochloric acid and hydrofluoric acid aqueous solutions. Boron is insoluble in water. Powdered boron is soluble in boiling nitric acid and sulfuric acid, as well as most molten metals such as copper, iron, manganese, aluminum and calcium.

What are the main effects of boron on crops

Boron has three major effects on the physiological processes of crops:

The first is the promotion effect. Boron can promote the movement of carbohydrates. Appropriate boron content in plants can improve the supply of organic matter to various organs of the crop, make the crop grow normally, and increase the seed setting rate and fruit setting rate.

The second is the special effect. Boron has a special effect on the fertilization process. Its content in pollen, most abundant in stigmas and ovaries, can stimulate pollen germination and pollen tube elongation, allowing smooth pollination. When crops are deficient in boron, the anthers and filaments shrink, pollen cannot form, and the symptoms of "flowers but not fruits" appear.

The third is the regulating effect. Boron can regulate the formation and operation of organic acids in plants. When boron is lacking, organic acids accumulate in the roots, cell differentiation and elongation of the root apical meristem are inhibited, corking occurs, and root necrosis occurs. Boron can also enhance the drought resistance and disease resistance of crops and promote early maturity of crops.

In addition, the application of boron fertilizer in rice hybrid seed production can make the reproductive organs of the male and female plants reach the same maturity stage, thereby promoting a substantial increase in seed production; it can also increase the number of distantly related plants. Seed setting rate of hybrids. It can be seen that boron also plays an important role in breeding work.

As economic crops with high boron demand such as rapeseed, cotton, peanuts, fruit trees, and vegetables, boron deficiency will seriously affect the normal growth of crops. Boron deficiency has become the main limiting factor hindering the improvement of crop yield and quality.

Since the content, product purity, and product quality of various boron fertilizers vary greatly, the concentration methods for using various boron fertilizers are also different.

What are the misunderstandings about boron fertilizer application:

▲Myth 1. Boron only has a significant effect on crops with high boron demand.

Boron plays a vital role in the reproductive growth of crops. All crops need boron, but the amount required is different. Rapeseed, cotton, fruit trees. Vegetables require a large amount of boron, while rice, corn, and wheat require less boron. However, even for crops with low boron requirements, boron deficiency symptoms can seriously affect yields. All crops should be supplemented with boron in a timely manner.

▲Myth 2: There is no boron deficiency symptom in crops, so there is no need to apply boron fertilizer.

Extensive experiments have confirmed that crops have a hidden need for boron. Even if there are no symptoms of boron deficiency, the application of boron fertilizer can significantly increase yields.

▲Myth 3: Crops only need to be fertilized with boron once a year.

Crops require a continuous supply of boron. Even if the supply of boron is interrupted for a short period, crop yield and quality will be affected.

Therefore, the application of boron fertilizer should be combined with foliar fertilizer and sprayed on the foliage in small amounts and multiple times.

▲Misunderstanding 4: Boron fertilizer is mainly applied through basal application.

The boron fertilizer introduced in agricultural production in the early days was industrial borax, which could only be applied as a base and could not be sprayed (or the spraying effect was not good). The effect of boron fertilizer combined with soil basal application and foliar spraying is better.

▲Myth 5: When rotating crops with high boron demand and low boron demand, the application of boron fertilizer will affect the following crops.

Research has confirmed that when cauliflower is rotated with beans, even if cauliflower is applied to broccoli several times more than the recommended dose, it will not have any impact on beans in the next crop.

▲Myth 6: Boron deficiency in crops only has a small impact on yield/quality.

Boron deficiency in crops can result in loss of total yield and high market value of the entire fruit market. In some parts of the United States, farmers will pull out crops once they discover they are deficient in boron.

The main raw material of boron

1. Sodium octaborate tetrahydrate

Contains more than 20.5 pure boron, has very good water solubility, and has a better effect of supplementing boron. Can be mixed with most pesticides and fertilizers. Especially when used in combination with potassium dihydrogen phosphate, it is an artifact that promotes the differentiation of flower buds. It also has a very significant effect on preserving flowers, fruits, and fruit coloring, getting twice the result with half the effort.

Although sodium octaborate tetrahydrate is not cheap, the dosage is very small. When spraying on the leaves, only 10 grams is mixed with 15 kilograms of water. It should be the most cost-effective boron fertilizer.

2. Boric acid

Contains more than 17 pure boron and has average water solubility. It has good boron supplementation effect and good absorption. It can be mixed with most pesticides and fertilizers. The goods are good, but hard to find.

Boric acid is an industrial hazardous chemical, so it is rarely available on the market. After all, industry has strict requirements for the storage of boric acid.

3. Fluid boron (called sugar alcohol boron on the market)

It is made of boric acid and diisopropanolamine, sorbitol and other substances through esterification reaction, etc. A new type of boron fertilizer for foliar spraying, which is composed of sugar alcohol complexed by a special process. The boron content is about 150g/L, it has excellent water solubility, fast absorption, and excellent boron supplementation effect, but the cost of use is really high.

4. Borax

There are agricultural borax and industrial borax on the market, both of which can be used as boron fertilizer. The molecular formula of borax is Na2B4O7·10H2O. It contains more than 10 boron and is relatively cheap. It is a colorless transparent crystal or white powder. It is difficult to dissolve in water, but is soluble in hot water at 40℃. The aqueous solution is alkaline and is commonly used for soil application in China.

Because borax is inconvenient to dissolve when sprayed on leaves and is not suitable for use with acidic fertilizers such as potassium dihydrogen phosphate, many users often use borax as a soil base fertilizer. Borax can be spread directly as a basal fertilizer, or granular boron fertilizer can be applied as a basal fertilizer through extrusion granulation.

5. Boron-magnesium fertilizer

The molecular formula of boron-magnesium fertilizer is H3BO3·MgSO4. Boron-magnesium fertilizer is the residue from boric acid production, a gray or off-white powder. The boron contained is mainly in the form of boric acid, which is difficult to dissolve in water and contains about 0.1 boron. It is used as soil fertilizer treatment and base application in China. Because the boron content is low, the dosage is large!

6. Boron magnesium phosphate fertilizer

It is made by treating boron mud and phosphate rock powder with acid, and contains about 0.15 effective boron. Domestically used for soil treatment, the boron content is extremely low and the dosage is very large.

Note: Boron-magnesium fertilizer and boron-magnesium phosphate fertilizer are generally industrial scraps. The boron content is very low. The possibility of excessive heavy metals cannot be ruled out, so be careful when using them.

Precautions for boron supplementation

① In boron-deficient soil, if you only apply boron to the leaves, it may aggravate the symptoms of boron deficiency in the roots, thereby affecting the roots' response to other elements. absorption, so boron fertilizer should be mainly applied to the soil.

② Drought in low-boron soil will aggravate boron deficiency, but orchards with poor drainage are also prone to boron deficiency, so attention should also be paid to strengthening water management.

③ When fruit trees are blooming and encountering rainy days, shake the tree in time to remove the withered flowers and accumulated water after rain, so as to reduce the rotten death of small flower spikes due to accumulated water and reduce the risk of downy blight. infestation.

④ When fruit trees encounter high drought during the flowering period, water should be sprayed on the crown and flowers in a timely manner to increase atmospheric humidity and reduce the concentration of stigmatic mucus. The best effect is to spray water before 10 a.m. to 12 a.m. At the same time, soil irrigation should be combined to keep the soil moist.

⑤ The key time for fruit trees to preserve flowers and fruits is from the bud stage to the early flowering stage. After the flowers have faded for 80 years, spray 2-3 times. Generally, avoid the full flowering period to prevent adverse effects on pollination.

⑥ Fruits and vegetables are generally crops with unlimited inflorescences, which can be used from the beginning of the flower buds, and can be used 3-4 times until the end of picking, with an interval of 7-10 days.

⑦ Pay attention to the application of more organic fertilizers, balanced fertilization, and root application with Tie Niu's amino acid-containing water-soluble fertilizer biostimulant to balance soil nutrients, promote root growth, and improve the effectiveness of boron.