Summary
In a Morrison sandy loam marginal in boron, fertilization with 1.1 ppm boron increased the shoot dry weight of mycorrhizal red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) an average of 16%, but did not affect nonmycorrhizal clover weight. Root colonization and foliar phosphorus concentrations were not significantly affected by B deficiency. With alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) and Morrison soil in which B deficiency had been intensified by the addition of 100 ppm nitrogen as NH4NO3, inadequate B reduced the shoot dry weight of mycorrhizal plants 71%vs a reduction of 35% for nonmycorrhizal plants. Boron deficiency was more severe in the earlier cuttings and delayed the onset of mycorrhizal infection and the subsequent spread of mycorrhizal fungi within the roots. This delay may contribute to the lower concentrations of P and Cu seen by others during early developmental stages of B-deficient alfalfa.
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Lambert, D.H., Cole, H. & Baker, D.E. The role of boron in plant response to mycorrhizal infection. Plant Soil 57, 431–438 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02211700
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02211700