Impact of Boron Additions in Margninal Soils for Growth of Corn, Wheat, Soybean, and Switchgrass.

With higher demand for agricultural production, there is a need for more land for agriculture. Expansion of agricultural production in marginal or poor nutrient status soils would necessitate calibration of the various nutrients to support plant growth. Boron (B) is an important micronutrient required by plants for regulating many functions including seed and fruit development. Very few studies have compared the effectiveness of different types (refined vs crushed ore) of B source on the growth of plants. We hypothesize that addition of refined B fertilizer as well as crushed ores will increase plant available Ca and B in the marginal and sandy soils which will increase productivity of the crops compared to controls. The overall goal of our project is to compare the efficacy of different B fertilizers to support growth of wheat, corn, soybean, and switchgrass in low nutrient condition soils and subsequent impact on soil quality, and soil microbial dynamics under greenhouse conditions. The experiment was carried out as a pot experiment, at the Horticulture and Agroforestry Research Center green house complex, University of Missouri-Columbia. To mimic a poor soil condition, the potting media was created by mixing 20 % potting mix and 80% sand. Nitrogen was applied at recommended rates in form of ammonium nitrate (NH₄NO₃). Pots were watered evenly throughout the growing season. It was observed that boron application in marginal soils can improve the yield and physiological functions of plants, however the optimum nutrient status should be carefully maintained.