For arable farmers aiming for healthy beets and high yields, it is essential to understand the role of boron in soil and beet.
Beets need boron for the formation of healthy roots and to prevent heart rot. Boron is best administered via the soil due to its immobility in the plant. By offering boron through the soil, boron is continuously available for the crop.
Efficient transport via root application
A beet needs a continuous supply of boron via the root and needs this immediately after sowing. Boron can be transported from the root to the leaf, but it is not mobile enough to be transported from older to new leaves. If the boron supply is provided via foliar fertilization, boron fertilizer will have to be sprayed every time new leaves are formed. Therefore, fertilization via the soil is more efficient and simpler. The boron requirement for one hectare of beets is 500 grams.
Limiting factors for boron
Boron is not always absorbed well. At a high pH (>7,5), iron and aluminum oxides are formed, making boron no longer absorbable. If the pH is too low (<5,5), boron leaches out. At low temperatures, especially in spring and during drought, which is normal in summer, the beet is also more likely to become deficient. Finally, boron leaches faster on lighter soils.
Nitrogen and sulfur: important elements for growth
In addition to boron, nitrogen (N) is also very important for healthy beet growth. YaraBela Sulfan Bor contains nitrogen in a nitrate and ammonium part. Nitrate works quickly and is mobile in the soil, whereby the ammonium present remains in the soil and is slowly converted into absorbable nitrate. The presence of sulfur in the fertilizer promotes this absorption by acting as a catalyst, allowing nitrogen to be absorbed more efficiently.
Optimizing boron supply, together with the correct nitrogen and sulfur ratios, is an integral part of the fertilization plan. YaraBela Sulfan Bor offers the ideal ratio of nutrients:
Optimal flow in the seeder
Due to the uniform, hard granule (where each granule contains the same composition of nutrients nitrogen, sulfur and boron), the mineral fertilizer can be ideally distributed on the field and the spreader can be adjusted properly and easily.