Boron fertilization in Paricá seedlings mitigates negative effects of water deficit

Abstract

Boron (B) supply has been studied as an alternative to alleviate environmental stress conditions in forest essences due to the functions that B plays within the plant cell in the metabolism of compounds and polysaccharides connection. Thus, it was postulated the hypothesis that B may provide greater resistance from Paricá (Schizolobium parahyba) to water deficit. The aim was to evaluate growth parameters, photosynthetic rate, nutritional efficiencies, and B content of young Schizolobium parahyba plants as a function of the factors B levels and water deficit. Experiment was a completely randomized factorial, with two B concentrations (25 and 250 μmol L^-1, simulating sufficient and high B conditions, respectively) and two water conditions (deficit and no deficit). Factors analyzed influenced growth, accumulation, photosynthetic and nutritional efficiency variables. There was an increase in the growth of stem, root and in the Dickson quality index of plants of Paricá with high concentration of B, when they were under water deficit. Concentration and accumulation of B was higher in plants under water deficit with high concentration of B, as well as the efficiency of absorption and translocation, indicating that high B nutrition attenuates the effect of water deficit in young plants in Paricá.