Madhumita Das

Effect of liming on boron nutrition of pea (Pisum sativum L.) and corn (Zea mays L.) grown in sequence in an acid Alfisol

A field experiment was conducted during 1986–87 on a sandy loam acid Alfisol of Barapani, Meghalaya, India to study the effect of liming on boron nutrition of pea and corn grown in a sequence. Lime and boron were applied to pea and their residual effect was studied on corn. Application of 1.5 kg B ha−1 significantly increased the pod and stover yield of pea. A sharp yield depression occurred at higher B rates. Liming accentuated B deficiency in the absence of B treatment and it cured toxicity arising from excess B supply. A combination of B at 1.5 kg ha−1 and lime at 3.0 t ha−1 was optimum for pea, but this level of B application was insufficient to meet B requirements of succeeding corn. With higher rates of B fertilization, the residual effect of B on corn yield was significant. Concentration of B in shoot, pod, grain and stover of crops increased with the rate of B application. With increasing liming rate, B concentration decreased. Addition of B increased the hot-water soluble B in soil. The availability of native and added B decreased sharply with increasing liming rate.