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Influence of boron in organic red clover ( T rifolium pratense L .) seed production
Author(s) -
Stoltz E.,
Wallenhammar AC.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
grass and forage science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.716
H-Index - 56
eISSN - 1365-2494
pISSN - 0142-5242
DOI - 10.1111/gfs.12072
Subject(s) - germination , red clover , shoot , sowing , inflorescence , yield (engineering) , boron , biology , agronomy , nectar , horticulture , chemistry , botany , organic chemistry , metallurgy , pollen , materials science
The effect of boron ( B ) on flower development, nectar production, seed yield and germination in organic red clover was investigated in soils with <1 mg B kg −1 . Different techniques for application of a liquid B product were studied in four field experiments in 2009–2011. The treatments were as follows: control (no B ); three rates of B application to the soil at sowing; and three rates of B as foliar application in the harvest year. The effects of B application varied between the fields and included increased seed yield, seed weight of fifty inflorescences ( IF s), number of florets IF −1 and nectar volume IF −1 . The greatest effects on seed yield were found in treatments with low B rates. B oron application increased seed B concentration in only one experiment and had no effect on shoot B concentration. The percentage of seeds with normal germination increased with increasing seed B concentration (R 2 = 0·73). Seed weight of fifty IF s and number of IF s m −2 increased with increasing shoot B concentration. Boron is therefore an important element for red clover seed production. Further knowledge on improving the B uptake of red clover plants is required to improve seed yield and quality.