0121
Boron for Minnesota soils
Daniel E. Kaiser; Carl J. Rosen; Apurba K. Sutradhar
Extension article/bulletin
Guidance/extension
Corn
Soybean
Boron
View source document
year
2024
Country
United States
Abstract

This paper evaluates boron management for crops in Minnesota, detailing specific findings for corn and soybean production. Boron is immobile in both corn and soybean, meaning deficiency symptoms appear first on the youngest leaves. In corn, boron deficiency causes short and bent cobs, barren stalks, poor kernel development, elongated watery stripes that turn white on new leaves, and dead growing points. Boron sufficiency range for corn whole tops less than 12” tall and base of ear at initial silk all is 5-25 ppm. In soybean, deficiency symptoms involve yellowing leaves, curling leaf tips, interveinal chlorosis, tip dieback, stunted roots, and stopped flowering. Both crops are classified as having a small response potential to boron. Boron sufficiency range for corn whole tops less than 12” tall and base of ear at initial silk all is 5-25 ppm. For soybean (trifoliate leaves) at early flowering, boron sufficiency range is 20-60 ppm. Field experiments across Minnesota demonstrated that boron fertilizer applications produced no grain yield increases in corn, showing that standard soil boron tests are unreliable predictors for corn. Similarly, multi-location trials on soybeans found that although boron application elevated tissue concentrations above sufficiency thresholds, grain yields did not increase at any site and actually decreased at two locations. Furthermore, soybeans exhibit high sensitivity to boron toxicity, which manifests as leaf yellowing and marginal scorching. Consequently, B fertilizer should not be applied to soybean, regardless of soil test recommendations. to prevent toxicity risks.

Keywords

boron; Minnesota soils; corn; soybean; tissue analysis; soil test; boron toxicity

Outcomes reported
Diagnostic
Soil properties
Nutrient uptake
Soil properties
Yield
Synthesis
Key insight
Minnesota boron guidance indicates corn and soybean usually do not benefit from boron fertilization, while low-OM sandy soils are most deficiency-prone and soil plus tissue tests are needed before diagnosing deficiency.
Limitations
Extension guidance summarizes Minnesota field studies and diagnostic thresholds rather than a single uniform experiment.
Welland | Ontario | Canada‍
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