Severity and Spatial Distribution of Boron Toxicity in Barley Cultivated Areas of Central Anatolia and Transitional Zones

Authors: MUZAFFER AVCI, TANER AKAR

Abstract: The aim of this study was to determine the severity and spatial distribution of boron toxicity symptoms on barley cultivated areas in Central Anatolia and Transitional Zones (CATZs). Boron concentrations of plants sampled from barley cultivated areas of the CATZs region at 189 sites during springs 1996 and 1997 were determined. Boron toxicity symptoms were observed mainly in small areas near Konya-Çumra, Ankara-Gölbaşı, Yenikent and Yozgat-Yerköy and between the provinces of Konya and Aksaray. While boron toxicity symptoms were not observed in 79% of samples, 15% and 6% of samples showed light and medium-severe toxicity symptoms, respectively. As boron toxicity scores increased, boron concentrations of the plant samples increased (r = 0.728, P < 0.01). However, the linear relation between boron toxicity score and boron concentrations of soil was not convincing (r = 0.367). Combining all sites and boron toxicity scores, a map was constructed to demonstrate extra boron covering areas. Plants samples were free from boron symptoms in spite of the fact that their boron concentrations were up to 44.4 ppm. It was concluded that boron toxicity is not a common problem in CATZs, but it could be a problem in some localities of the region. The low frequency of boron problems may be attributed to common cultivation of boron tolerant barley cultivars, which have been improved under CATZ conditions over the last decade.

Keywords: Hordeum vulgare, boron, boron toxicity and distribution

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