Abstract
Effects of boron (B) deficiency on reproductive development and grain set in wheat was studied in experiments in a sand culture in which grain set was increased by increasing B supply in the nutrient solution. Early vegetative response was also studied in a solution culture experiment with 5 μM B and without added B. Effects of B deficiency on the male and female part of the wheat flower were studied in a cross fertilization experiment involving B deficient and B sufficient wheat plants. An international trial (the Boron Probe Nursery) was conducted as a collaboration between Chiang Mai University, CIMMYT and National Agricultural Research Systems in various countries, to verify the B response in non-traditional, warm wheat-growing areas.
There was a wide genotypic variation in reproductive responses to B among the eight wheat genotypes studied. In sand culture with low B (0.2 μM), grain set index ranged from 9.5% in SW41 to 94.5% in Fang 60; with high B (10 μM) it was ≥90% in all genotypes. Early vegetative response to B was measured in the length of the youngest emerged blade at 12 days after sowing. Without added B the length of the leaf blade relative to that with 5 μM B ranged from 0.82 to 0.92. This indicates some variation in vegetative response to B among the genotpes. However, there was no relationship between vegetative and reproductive responses to B of the wheat genotypes.
Fertility of both the male and female part of the wheat flower appears to be affected by B deficiency. Ears from B deficient plants that were bagged to prevent cross fertilization set no grain. Cross pollination of B deficient female flowers with pollen from B sufficient plants resulted in only 28% grain set, compared with 94% percent from manual crossing of B sufficient pollen on B sufficient female.
Reponses to B application of SW41 and other sensitive genotypes at field sites of the first international Boron Probe Nursery (1990/91) confirmed that B deficiency can be a major cause of grain set failure in wheat in warm areas.
Similar content being viewed by others
Reference
Asher C J and Blamey F P C 1987 J Plant Nutrition 10, 1371–1380.
Bell R W, Rerkasem B, Keerati-Kasikorn P, Phetchawee S, Hiranburana N, Ratanarat S, Pongsakul P and Loneragan 1990 Mineral Nutrition of Food Legumes in Thailand. ACIAR Technical Report No. 16, 52p.
Broughton W J and Dilworth M J 1971 Biochem. J. 125, 1075–1080.
Cheng C and Rerkasem B 1993 In Proceedings of 12th International Plant Nutrition Colloquium. Ed N J Barrow. pp 405–407.
Dickenson D B 1978 J. Am. Soc. Hortic. Sci. 103, 413–416.
Khatri-Chhetri T B and Ghimire S K 1992 In Wheat Special Report No 11. Eds C E Mann and B Rerkasem. pp 34–56. CIMMYT, Mexico, DF.
Li W H, Kui M C, Chao N S, Jern M P, Li C R, Chu W J and Wang C L 1978 J. Northeastern Agric. College, 3, 1–19.
Liu Z, Zhu Q and Tang L 1981 Institute of Soil Science, Academia Sinica, Soil Research Report No. 5.
Mandal A B and Das D K 1988 J. Maharashtra Agric. Universities. 13, 369–370.
Rerkasem B, Saunders D A and Dell B 1988 J. Agric. Chiang Mai University. 5, 1–10. (In Thai)
Reuter D J 1987 A Report on Wheat Nutrition in Bangladesh from SAGRIC International to CIMMYT and CIDA.
Sillanpaa M 1982 Micronutrients and Nutrient Status of Soils. FAO Soil Bull. No. 48.
Silva A R da and Andrade J M Vda 1983 Pesq. agropec. bras. Brasilia 18, 593–601. (In Portuguese)
Sthapit B R 1980 Studies on wheat sterility problems in the Hill, Tar and Tarai of Nepal. Lumle Agricultural Centre, Technical Paper No. 16/88.
Vaughan A K F 1977 Rhod. J. Agric. Res. 15, 163–170.
Yang Y, You Z and Yang M 1992. In Wheat Special Report No 11. Eds C E Mann and B Rerkasem. pp 34–56. CIMMYT, Mexico, DF.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Rerkasem, B., Netsangtip, R., Lordkaew, S. et al. Grain set failure in boron deficient wheat. Plant Soil 155, 309–312 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00025044
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00025044