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Response of Cotton and Kenaf to Boron-Amended Water and Soil

USDA, ARS, Water Management Research Laboratory, 2021 S. Peach Ave., Fresno, CA

B. Mackey

Office of the Area Director, USDA, ARS, PWA, 800 Buchanan Street, Albany, CA 94710

C. Cook

USDA, ARS, SPA, Conservation and Production Systems Research, 2413 E. Hwy 83, Weslaco, TX 78596

S. Akohoue, S. Zambrzuski and P. Samra

USDA, ARS, Water Management Research Laboratory, 2021 S. Peach Ave., Fresno, CA 93727

^* Corresponding author.

Well and drainage water with high B concentrations may be an alternative source of water for irrigated agriculture in the western USA. Irrigation water with even moderate levels of B may, however, be toxic to plants. Two greenhouse studies were conducted to evaluate the growth responses of kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L.) and cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) to B-amendedir rigation water (Experiment I) and B-amendeds oils (Experiment ID irrigated with B-free water. In Experiment I, both kenaf and cotton were irrigated with water amended with 7.5 mg B L^-1 as boric acid or with water containing <0.25 mg B L^-1. In Experiment II, B uptake and B tolerance were evaluated for kenaf and cotton grown at two different times in B-amended soils ( 45 mg total B kg^-1 soil and 7 mg extractable B L^-1). In Experiment I, dry matter (DM) yield of both species was significantly reduced by B-amendedw ater (P < 0.05 level). Compared with plants irrigated with control water, total DM yields were 50 and 30% lower for kenaf and cotton, respectively. Leaf tissue B concentrations ranged from 500 to 1400 mg B kg^-1 DM for kenaf and from 300 to 800 mg B kg^-1 DM for cotton. In Experiment II, growing kenaf and cotton in B-amended soils reduced DM yield of kenaf and cotton 27 and 17%, respectively. Mean leaf tissue B concentrations were 422 mg B kg^-1 DM in kenaf and 222 mg B kg^-1 DM in cotton. Results show that high soil B in greenhouse pot conditions decrease DM production of kenaf and cotton.

Received for publication February 22, 1995.