Effect of Soil and Foliar Application of Boron on Physicochemical Properties of Maize

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of soil and foliar boron (B) applications on maize production and quality parameters during 2018 and 2019 in Hatay (East Mediterranean region), Turkey. The experiment was carried out in a split plot design with three replications. The design involved five levels of soil-applied boron (0, 3, 6, 9, 12 kg ha-1) as the main plot treatments, and three levels of foliar-applied boron (0, 3, 6 kg ha-1) as the sub-plot treatments. Ears were harvested and selected randomly for analysis of grain quality. Soil and foliar boron treatment improved grain yield, yield components, and quality parameters. The highest grain yield was achieved following application of 3 kg ha-1 of soil-applied B and 6 kg ha-1 of foliar-applied boron. The combination of 3 kg ha-1soil applied B and 6 kg ha-1 in foliar applied B resulted in the highest mean grain protein content. Boron fertilizer should be applied to the soil as a basal dose along with foliar application to achieve the maximum grain yield and optimum quality properties in maize.