Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Chapter 5
The Secondary Elements
Boron, Iron, Manganese, Copper and Zinc
These five will complete our analysis of the nutrient minerals that are measured on
a standard soil test.
B Boron
Fe Iron
Mn Manganese
Cu Copper
Zn Zinc
Here is the part of the soil report we will be working with in this chapter:
Other Elements ppm
Boron B
0.21
Iron Fe
50
Manganese Mn
11
Copper Cu
1.07
Zinc Zn
16.4
Boron B
Boron is one of the more rare elements on planet Earth. On average, the earth's
crust contains 50,000 ppm of Calcium but only 9 ppm of Boron.
Boron is only mined in a few dry places. Turkey and the Mojave Desert of
California are the world's primary sources of Boron. Some boron is also refined
from the Sodium nitrate deposits found in theAtacama desert of Chile.
Boron is a close partner with Calcium; Calcium transports many nutrients into the
plant and within the plant, but it needs boron to keep it mobile. The saying is that
Calcium is the truck, Boron is the driver.
Free Boron in the soil is highly water soluble and leaches out easily. Plants also
take it up readily. In most high-production agricultural soils Boron (and Sulfur) will
need to be applied every year. Boron seems to be held on the organic (Carbon)
portion of the soil and is only available to the plant when soil moisture is adequate
in the upper organic horizon of the soil.Alfalfa crops will often show a Boron
 
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