Morphophysiological and Grain Yield Responses to Foliar and Soil Application of Boric Acid on Soybean

ABSTRACT

Boric acid (H₃BO₃) fertilization as source of boron (B) is a common practice in modern agriculture, aims to correct the deficiency of this micronutrient in the Cerrado soils, and ensure the maintenance of plant metabolism for the proper crops’ development. Therefore, the aim of this work was to evaluate the effects of H₃BO₃ fertilization on soil and leaves during the soybean development. The experimental design was completely randomized with six replicates. The treatments were obtained in a 3 × 2 factorial scheme, fertilization with H₃BO₃ for three doses of B in the soil: 0 (control); 0.62 and 3.4 kg ha^?1 and two foliar supplementation conditions: absence and presence. The best results for the variables length, dry mass and leaf area of soybean plants occurred with B applied to soil at doses 0 and 3.4 kg ha^?1 in the absence of foliar supplementation. B content in the plants gradually increased with the micronutrient supply via soil and in leaves. Physiological apparatus of the plants was more efficient in the absence of foliar supplementation, independently of the fertilization with doses in the soil. The grain mass was up to 57% higher in the control treatment. Fertilization with H₃BO₃ in the soil and foliar did not improve the morphophysiological traits and the production of soybeans grown in greenhouse using clayey soil with initial B content of 0.30 mg dm^?3.