Long-Term Impact of Boron Addition at Various Dosages to a Groundnut-Cabbage System on Crop Yield and Boron Dynamics in Typic Haplustepts

Dileep Kumar, Khusvadan C. Patel, Arvind K. Shukla, Sanjib K. Behera (), Vinubhai P. Ramani, Bhavin Suthar and Ravi A. Patel
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Dileep Kumar: Micronutrient Research Centre (ICAR), Anand Agricultural University, Anand 388 110, Gujarat, India
Khusvadan C. Patel: Micronutrient Research Centre (ICAR), Anand Agricultural University, Anand 388 110, Gujarat, India
Arvind K. Shukla: ICAR—Indian Institute of Soil Science, Bhopal 462 038, Madhya Pradesh, India
Sanjib K. Behera: ICAR—Indian Institute of Soil Science, Bhopal 462 038, Madhya Pradesh, India
Vinubhai P. Ramani: College of Agriculture, Vaso, Anand Agricultural University, Anand 388 110, Gujarat, India
Bhavin Suthar: Micronutrient Research Centre (ICAR), Anand Agricultural University, Anand 388 110, Gujarat, India
Ravi A. Patel: Micronutrient Research Centre (ICAR), Anand Agricultural University, Anand 388 110, Gujarat, India

Agriculture, 2023, vol. 13, issue 2, 1-12

Abstract: The addition of boron (B) fertilizers to soils with low B content is required for augmenting crop yield. Therefore, it is imperative to have knowledge about the impact of long-term B addition at various dosages on crop yield and soil-B dynamics. A field experiment of a 6-year duration was carried out at Anand Agricultural University, Gujarat, India to study the influence of long-term B fertilization in the groundnut ( Arachis hypogaea L.)-cabbage ( Brassica oleracea var. capitata) cropping system in different rates and frequencies on yield of crops and soil-B dynamics. The direct effect of B addition on groundnut yield and the residual effect on succeeding cabbage crop yield was eval-uated. The treatments of the experiment encompassed various combinations of three frequencies and four rates of B application including one control (no B application). The application of B at different rates and frequencies significantly increased groundnut and cabbage yield in comparison to yield attained under the control. The addition of 1.0 kg B ha −1 in alternate years was found op-timum for enhancing the yield of groundnut and cabbage crops grown on study soil. Boron appli-cation enhanced B content in groundnut pod, haulm, cabbage and available B in soil. Optimal available B content in soil was 1.25 mg kg −1 for both groundnut pod and cabbage-head yield. The application of B with different rates and frequencies significantly enhanced B fractions in soil. The content of different fractions improved with the increase in rates of B application. The percentage contribution of various B fractions towards total B content followed the order: readily soluble B (0.43 to 0.55%) < specifically adsorbed B (0.74 to 0.98%) < organically bound B (0.70 to 1.55%) < ox-ide bound B (1.26 to 3.11%) < residual boron B (93 to 96.8%). Path analysis revealed the highest contribution of total boron towards groundnut-pod yield with a coefficient value of 4.30. Whereas oxide-bound boron fraction contributed to the maximum extent with a coefficient value of 0.91 towards cabbage-head yield. This information will be useful for B management in the ground-nut-cabbage cropping system grown on studied soil.

Keywords: boron fertilizer; groundnut-cabbage cropping system; boron concentration; dynamics of boron; boron fractions (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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