Exploring the Impact of Phosphorus Application on Boron Toxicity Tolerance in Maize and Sunflower Under Aerobic Conditions, and Rice Under Anaerobic Conditions

ABSTRACT

Both phosphorus (P) and boron (B) can interact with each other due to their similar properties and P can hinder the uptake of boron by plants. In this study, the effect of P and B concentrations on the growth of rice, sunflower, and maize plants grown under greenhouse conditions in an environment that would induce boron toxicity was investigated. To create a toxic environment, 40 mg kg⁻¹ B was applied to rice plants, and 30 and 25 mg kg⁻¹ B were applied to sunflower and maize plants, respectively. To alleviate the toxicity, 500 mg kg⁻¹ P was added to the respective pots. The results of the study showed that B application reduced the fresh and dry weight of all plant species, while significant increases were observed with the addition of P. Among the applied P sources, TSP was found to be more effective than H₃PO₄ in terms of fresh and dry weight of maize plants. Plant-B concentrations increased with B application but were significantly reduced by the applied P sources, with no difference observed among the P sources. Plant-P concentrations, which decreased with B applications, increased as a result of P applications. In particular, H₃PO₄ was found to be more effective than TSP in terms of plant-P concentration, especially in sunflower and maize plants. This study determined that P fertilization can be beneficial in reducing the damage caused by boron toxicity, which is a stress factor that severely limits agricultural production in regions with arid and semi-arid climates.

KEYWORDS:

• Boron toxicity
• maize
• phosphorus fertilizer
• rice
• sunflower

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).