Relationship of Total and Hot‐Water Soluble Boron, and Fixation of Added Boron, to Properties of Podzol Soils

Abstract Total and hot‐water soluble B content of soils ranged from 45 to 124 and 0.38 to 4.67 ppm, respectively. The largest quantities of hot‐water soluble B were recorded in Acadia silty clay loam, Caribou silt loam, and Interval loam to silt loam soil series. Water‐soluble B was comparatively low in soils derived from Permo‐carboniferous rocks. In general the B content was lowest in coarse‐ and highest in fine‐textured soils. Percent of total B in the hot‐water soluble form varied from 0.44 to 4.69, with the highest percentage occurring in the fine‐textured soils and lowest in the coarse‐textured soils. Hot‐water soluble B content was higher in “well‐managed” soils than in “neglected” soils. The quantities of such B were positively correlated (significant at p = 0.01) with organic matter and with total B. Higher amounts of B were fixed by soils after incubation periods of 8 and 12 weeks than after 2 and 4 weeks. A higher percentage of B was fixed in the O'Leary sandy clay loam than in the Dunstaffnage sandy loam soil with all incubation periods. Varying the moisture content of soil from 50 to 100% of the field capacity did not affect the B fixed over a 12‐week period.