Soil Application of Boron Improves the Tillering,Leaf Elongation,Panicle Fertility,Yield and its Grain Enrichment in Fine-Grain Aromatic Rice |
| |
| Authors: | Atique-ur-Rehman Ahmad Nawaz Abdul Rehman Saba Iqbal |
| |
| Institution: | Department of Agronomy, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan |
| |
| Abstract: | Boron (B) is one of the essential micronutrients having a specific role, particularly during reproductive phase, in rice. In a previous experiment on aerobic rice, panicle sterility was noted as one of the major challenges. This experiment was conducted to evaluate the influence of soil-applied B on tillering, panicle sterility, water relations, and grain enrichment in fine-grain aromatic rice cultivars ‘Super Basmati’ and ‘Shaheen Basmati’. Boron was soil applied at 0.50, 0.75, 1, 1.25, and 1.50 kg ha?1 while the control treatment did not receive B. Rate of leaf emergence and elongation and tiller appearance were significantly improved by B application. Likewise, B application also improved the leaf chlorophyll contents and water relations in both rice cultivars. Substantial improvement in kernel yield and yield contributing traits was also observed by B application owing to decrease in panicle sterility. A linear increase in leaf and kernel B contents was observed with increase in B application rate. However, the range for an optimum B application rate is very narrow and increase of B application beyond 1 kg ha?1 was toxic. In conclusion, soil application of B is an effective way to decrease panicle sterility and increase the kernel yield and grain B enrichment in rice. |
| |
| Keywords: | boron chlorophyll grain filling water relations rice panicle sterility yield |
|
|
