Boron in Plant Production

Boron (B) is needed by plants in trace amounts and the limits for required and toxic levels are quite close to each other. Sufficient boron levels are essential for optimum growth and yield in plant production practices. Boron plays various significant roles in carbohydrate and protein metabolisms of plants, tissue differentiation, auxin and phenol metabolisms, membrane permeability, pollen germination and pollen tube growth. Boron mobilization is restricted by several factors throughout plant growth. Transpiration is an efficient mechanism for boron transport to plant upper sections. Plant water intake and water movement through xylem are also closely related to plant boron uptake and boron transport to other organs of plant. Such mobilization mechanisms greatly vary from one plant to another. Boron deficiency primarily destroys growing points and ultimately results in growth regressions in plants. Under severe deficiencies, growing points may even die out and growth may be totally terminated. Thus, boron is considered as an essential, inevitable, micro nutrient for plants. Turkey has 72% of world boron reserves and the share of Turkey in world boron production is around 33%. Since there aren’t sufficient researches and studies, boron products have limited uses over agricultural lands. In this study, significance of boron in agricultural practices was pointed out and boron researches carried out with different plants were reviewed