Influence of boron and farmyard manure on available boron and exchangeable calcium and their removal by cauliflower in the Boron-deficient soils of Himachal Pradesh

In laboratory-incubation and greenhouse experiments on two boron (B)-deficient soils of Bajaura (loam) and Junga (sandy loam), the application of B maintained significantly higher amounts of available B throughout the study period, while the contents of exchangeable Ca were not affected. The incorporation of FYM in the experimental soils, however, maintained a higher availability of both available B as well as exchangeable Ca. The corresponding contents of available B and exchangeable Ca were, in general, more in greenhouse study in contrast to those in laboratory-incubation. The contents of available B decreased with time in experimental soils both in laboratory-incubation and greenhouse study. The exchangeable Ca, however, increased with time in both the soils, but decreased at harvest stage in case of greenhouse study. The application of B as well as FYM recorded a significantly enhanced removal of both B and Ca in parts of cauliflower.