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Borate is an important micronutrient or secondary nutrient for all plants. Many articles on the internet have described the reasons why you need the element. In short, Boron and other micronutrients are essential for:

• The formation of plant cell walls and other structures by transporting Calcium
• Balancing sugars and starches and facilitating their transport to all parts of the plant
• Transporting water through the plants system
• Forming proteins essential for the plant’s metabolism by breaking down nitrogen in the ground.

As such, plantation owners should always take care to ensure their plants get the correct amount of Boron at any given time.

Why should we target Borate fertilizer application?

Ensuring the correct level of Boron

Targeting your borate fertilizer means applying it where it is needed the most. The ideal average rate of Boron at any given time should be between 0.5 to 2.0ppm.

The plant does not regulate the uptake of Boron and it’s something that happens passively. This is why it’s up to the farmers and planters to keep the level of Boron in the soil at its optimal level. Too much of Boron in the soil is toxic to the plant, but too little and the plants will suffer from malnutrition and start showing unhealthy symptoms. Oil palms are particularly sensitive to B deficiency and it will affect their productivity in a significant manner. Targeting Borate fertilizer application eliminates the problems of you applying too much or too little at one time.

Saving resources

Targeting Boron application also saves a lot of resources. Borate fertilizers tend to leach out a lot and when they travel beyond the reach of the palm’s roots, they become useless to the plant.

Knowing where to place your Borate fertilizer at any given time will mean that less of it leaches out into the soil.

How to Target Your Borate Fertilizer Application

Know Your Soil

Certain types of soil leach Boron faster than others. These include soil that is alkaline and soil that is sandy. Sandy, non-irrigated soil with very low organic matter, especially those near coastal areas or near the sea, tend to leach out nutrients faster as they allow more water to flow through. Soil that can’t hold water well also can’t hold on to nutrients well. If your plantation has either one of these, you have to be extra vigilant to know when to apply more.

Perform regular soil assessments

Test your soil at least once every month for Boron levels. That way you’ll know for sure which area is low in this micronutrient. This strategy works better than applying it blindly everywhere at the same time, with the same volume.

Look out for deficiency symptoms

Symptoms like orange or brown spots, dying leaves and others are clear signs that something is wrong with the soil. Follow these foliar symptoms up with a soil strip test to know whether the level of Boron is adequate or not.

 

Targeting your Daebak Borate Fertilizer needs a bit of effort, where you’ll have to know your whole plantation status at every moment. However, it’s definitely possible if you combine various testing and assessment methods and do these tests at regular intervals.