Influence of Levels and Methods of Boron Application on the Yield and Uptake of Boron by Cotton in a Calcareous Soil of Punjab

A field experiment was conducted to study the influence of boron (B) application on yield and B uptake of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) in B-deficient calcareous soil of south-west Punjab. The treatments comprise six levels of soil-applied B (0.0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, and 2.5 mg B kg−1soil) and two levels of foliar-applied B (0.1% and 0.2% borax and granubor solution) along with the common control (no B application). The experiment was laid out in RBD factorial design with three replications. The seed cotton yield and its attributing characters (plant height, number of sympodial and monopodial branches, boll weight, and number of boll per plant) and root biomass increased significantly with increasing levels of boron up to 1.0 mg B kg−1 level over the control and then remained nonsignificant with further higher levels of soil-applied boron. Among foliar-applied boron levels, 0.1% borax solution was better than 0.2% borax solution. Soil-applied boron was at par with foliar-applied boron. The efficiency of borax and granubor was found to be equal in both sources of boron. The mean B content and its uptake by seed cotton and roots increased significantly up to 1.0 mg B kg−1 soil-applied B level and then recorded nonsignificant with further higher levels of boron. For the foliar method of B application, the mean B content and its uptake by seed cotton increased significantly over the control. The mean available B content in soils (0–15 cm) at 45, 75, 105, and 145 days after sowing increased significantly over the control for all soil-applied B levels, while it remained nonsignificant over the control for all growth stages of cotton in foliar method of B application. Further, it was positively correlated with root biomass (r = 0.91), boron uptake by root (r = 0.98), and sympodial branch per plant (r = 0.81). The interaction of B application levels and sources was not significant for all studied traits. Regardless of B sources, B application had a significant effect on yield, yield attributes, and B uptake up to 1.0 mg B kg−1 level for soil-applied B and 0.1% borax or granubor solution for foliar-applied B.