Pepper

Boron deficiency in peppers

When compared to other vegetables, peppers require a higher level of boron. Symptoms of boron deficiency in pepper plants usually first appears in the leaves, including:

• Loss of color
• Yellowing
• Cupping
• Thickening of leaves near the growth point

When boron deficiency becomes more severe, pepper plants may exhibit the following symptoms:

• Early-stage flower bud termination
• Flower, leaf and/or fruit bud drop
• Stunted, underdeveloped root nodules
• Shoot apical meristem death resulting in dwarfed plants
• Uneven fruit maturity, brown or black marks, deformation, cracking, and cork

How much boron is enough?

Only a small quantity of boron is needed to correct boron deficiency. A soil test can help determine how much boron may be needed. In addition, excess calcium and soil pH can affect boron uptake.

References

• Growing Points: More on Boron with Peppers
• Green Peppers