Influence of boron on other chemical elements in alfalfa

The objectives of this study were to determine the effect of three boron rates applied to the soil on the distribution and relative abundance of 12 chemical elements in various alfalfa plant parts at four successive stages of growth. Plant samples were separated into lower leaves, lower stems, upper leaves, upper stems, and tips. These plant parts were analyzed for Zn, B, Fe, Mn, Mg, Ca, P, K, Na, Al, Si, and Cu. Results of this study indicated: i. application of B to the soil resulted in increases in concentration of B in alfalfa tissue proportional to the rate of B applied. For most elements, a decrease in concentration was generally obtained when the rate of soil‐applied boron was increased from 6.3 to 12.6 kg/ha;ii. a continual increase in the B concentration from early vegetative to bloom stage of growth and then, a decrease in the B concentration from bloom to seed set was observed for the entire alfalfa plant;iii. the concentration of an element found in leaf tissue was generally greater than the concentration in stem tissue. Furthermore, the concentration of an element found in the lower leaves was generally greater than the concentration found in the upper leaves.