For more than a century, boron has been known to drastically improve plant health. Decades of scientific research shows that boron plays a vital role in the development and maintenance of cell walls, membrane function, and in the flowering and fruit development process of plants. Plants that are deficient in boron display numerous undesired anatomical, biochemical, and physiological changes in plants that can be costly—or even devastating—to farmers’ crops and livelihood.
Fortunately, a little knowledge and the right boron soil fertilizer can help prevent such damage.
Boron protects plants from the inside
Think of plant cell walls like a well-constructed castle: Sturdy and strong. The cell wall is the gatekeeper to the community within, welcoming some beneficial additions but preventing harmful substances from entering. Additionally, cell walls—like the stones of the castle—give a plant its rigidity and structure. If the healthy cell walls are unhealthy, unwanted microbes and disease can enter the plant and weaken it significantly.
Optimal levels of boron support cell wall health, giving the plant a leg-up, protecting it from harm, promoting healthy growth—and enabling higher yields.
Boron in the field
If you’re a grower who is concerned about potential boron deficiency, a key question to ask yourself, “How do I get the right amount of boron to my crop in the right way?”
Your first stop should be to conduct soil and tissue tests. This will give you a baseline to discuss borate applications with your agronomist or local fertilizer distributor.
Boron is available in different forms for different types of applications:
- Granular boron (such as U.S. Borax’s Granubor®): Consists of small pellets (granules) that are easy to apply directly to soil or mix with other nutrients for slow release throughout the growing cycle
- Fine powders mixed into sprayable solutions (such as Solubor®): Make it easy to uniformly apply boron to leafy crops such as vegetables and tree and nut crops
- Highly soluble forms of boron can also be introduced into field or drip irrigation systems—a method that requires careful measurement and system calibration
Regardless of your preferred method of applying boron, it’s important to pay attention to product quality.
Boron is available in raw mineral or refined forms:
- Raw minerals: The borates go through minimal (if any) processing. The actual percentage of boron in raw minerals can vary greatly, as does the solubility. Less solubility means boron is less available to plants, so farmers who apply raw minerals may see very little improvement for their effort.
- Refined boron products: They have been processed to remove impurities and contaminants. This process also improves solubility. Because these products are consistent, 100% water soluble, and highly available to plants, farmers can apply less—saving money while getting higher quality crops and a more consistent result.
Building better farms with optimal nutrient levels
Over the past half century, U.S. Borax and agricultural researchers have been able to provide greater understanding of how boron is depleted in soil; how to achieve optimal levels of nutrients in different types of soil; and how different applications and rates of boron supplementation affect different crops.
Learn more about U.S. Borax field research
Armed with this knowledge, you are better positioned to give your crops the nutrients they need to thrive and produce a quality harvest. Through partnership with local distributors and agronomists, you can choose how to ensure your crops receive this powerful micronutrient.
U.S. Borax can help
Since 1872, U.S. Borax has been at the forefront of boron extraction, scientific research, and application. For the last 70 years, we have processed borates for agriculture from our operations in the United States and Europe.
Solubor is used worldwide, known for its high concentration of boron and excellent dissolution in water, making it the ideal choice for distributing boron in farm sprays. For boron applications to soil and use in blended fertilizers, we developed Granubor, which allows season-long release of boron to your soil.
Reach out to our local teams of agriculture experts if you have questions.
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