Rapeseed is a species with a high demand for boron, sensitive to its deficiency. It is estimated that to produce a ton of seeds with an appropriate amount of straw, plants take up 100-150 g of boron. At the same time, boron is a deficit element for most soils in our country. Optimal supply of this microelement to rapeseed is not an easy task.
Rapeseed with a big appetite for boron
The high demand for boron in rapeseed results from its important role in many metabolic processes at almost all stages of plant development. Boron compounds are involved in, among others, cell growth processes, carbohydrate metabolism, pollen grain germination and pollen tube growth, and transport of photosynthetic products to seeds. This element also participates in the synthesis of chemical compounds responsible for plant defense mechanisms and mechanical strength of tissues.
A deficiency of this element may result in, among other things, weakened growth of above-ground parts and roots, reduced winter hardiness, disorders at the flowering stage, pollination, seed formation. Plants poorly supplied with boron are less mechanically durable, susceptible to stem cracking, less resistant to stress factors, and regenerate worse after winter. Literature reports significant reduction in rapeseed yield as a result of boron deficiency, even by 20 to 80 percent in extreme cases.
