Botany Department, Lucknow University, Lucknow 226 007
To induce B deficiency in brinjal cv. Pusa Purple, plants were grown in refined sand at 3 levels of B, viz. acute deficiency (0.0033 mg/litre), moderate (0.033 mg/litre) and adequate (0.33 mg/litre). In brinjal, symptoms of low boron at d 23–24 as interveinal chlorosis of young leaves, chlorosis intensified later, necrotic patches developed on them and on coalescing gave a withered appearance to leaf. In addition, plants were short, bushy and depressed due to condensation of internodes. With increase in age young growth was affected, turned necrotic and black due to accumulation of phenols in low B. No fruits were produced in acute deficiency. Boron deficiency decreased the biomass, concentration of B, chlorophyll a and b, DNA and RNA, protein and non-protein nitrogen, carotenes and increased the activity of peroxidase, acid phosphatase, ribonuclease, polyphenol oxidase and phenylaninelyase, along with accumulation of both reducing and non-reducing sugars and starch in leaves of brinjal.
