Boron fertilisation of organically managed grass-clover swards on coarse-textured soils: effects on botanical and element composition

Authors

• Lisbeth Linse Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU)
• A. Sigrun Dahlin Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU)
• Elisabet Nadeau Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU)
• Johannes Forkman Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU)
• Ingrid Öborn World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF), Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Uppsala, Sweden

DOI: https://doi.org/10.23986/afsci.51469

Keywords:

deficiency, interaction between nutrients, legumes, livestock requirement, macronutrient, micronutrient

Abstract

Three trials were performed on two organic farms with dairy and suckler cows and using home-produced forage and feed crops, predominantly grass-clover ley, in order to determine whether boron (B) is a limiting factor for legumes on coarse-textured soils in an area predisposed to low B soil concentrations. The effects of B fertilisation (applied as sprayed liquid) on biomass yield, botanical composition and plant macro- and micronutrient concentrations relative to soil concentrations and livestock requirements were investigated. Boron fertilisation (i) did not affect any yield, (ii) increased the white clover percentage significantly in forage on one farm and (iii) increased B concentrations in plants and soil on both farms, and (iv) did not affect concentrations of other nutrients in forage on either farm. Thus, B was not an obvious limiting factor on these farms. Effects of management practices on interactions and
ratios between B, calcium (Ca), potassium (K), magnesium (Mg) and sodium (Na) and their implications are discussed.