ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Boron Foliar Application Improves Growth, Yield
and Grain Quality of Maize
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1
Department of Agronomy, The University of Agriculture Peshawar, 25130 Pakistan
2
Botany and Microbiology Department, College of Science, King Saud University,
P.O. Box 2455, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia
3
Faculty of Science, Zarqa University, Zarqa 13110, Jordan
4
Integrated Molecular Plant Physiology Research, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp,
2020, Antwerp, Belgium
5
Department of Plant Pathology, The University of Agriculture Peshawar, 25130 Pakistan
6
School of Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212000, China
7
Department of Plant Protection, Rural Engineering and Soils, School of Engineering, São Paulo State University
(UNESP), Ilha Solteira 15385-000, São Paulo State, Brazil
Submission date: 2023-10-04
Final revision date: 2023-11-30
Acceptance date: 2023-12-17
Online publication date: 2023-12-29
Publication date: 2024-04-09
Corresponding author
Arshad Jalal
Department of Plant Protection, Rural Engineering and Soils, School of Engineering, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Ilha Solteira, 15385-000, Ilha Solteira, Brazil
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2024;33(3):3079-3089
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ABSTRACT
Balanced nutrition is the key to higher quality crop production. Micronutrients, especially boron
(B) have an important role in various physiological processes and stress tolerance while its deficiency
could affect the yield and quality of crop plants. In this context, this study investigated the significance
of foliar B application at various growth stages on maize yield components, yield, and grain B content.
The treatments consisted of boron foliar application levels (0, 0.5, 1, 1.5 and 2%) at different growth
stages (V4 = fourth leaf stage, V8 = eighth leaf stage and VT = tasseling stage) during summer 2021
and 2022. The results revealed that plant height, leaf area plant-1, leaf area index, plants at harvest,
ear length, grains ear-1, thousand grains weight, shelling percentage, biological yield, grain yield
and harvest index were increased with 1 % B foliar spray compared to other levels. In addition, ear
length, grains ear-1, thousand grains weight, shelling percentage, biological yield, grain yield and harvest
index were increased with B foliar application at VT (tasseling stage) compared to other stages. It was
concluded that the application of 1% foliar boron (1.28 kg B ha-1) i.e. 7.32 kg H3BO3 at tasseling stage
improved growth, yield and yield components of maize.