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Differences in boron distribution and forms in four citrus scion–rootstock combinations with contrasting boron efficiency under boron-deficient conditions

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Boron efficiency of scion ‘Fengjie-72' is related to its less reduced boron concentration and distribution in leaves, achieved by decreasing the ratio of available boron in roots under boron-deficient conditions.

Abstract

Boron (B) deficiency is widespread in citrus orchards. Previous studies have demonstrated that the B-efficient navel orange scion ‘Fengjie-72' (Fs) and rootstock Carrizo citrange (Cr) are more tolerant to B deficiency than the closely related B-inefficient scion ‘Newhall’ (Ns) and rootstock trifoliate orange (Tr), respectively. However, the mechanisms underlying such differences remain unclear. Here, we investigated the differences in B distribution and forms among four combinations (Fs/Cr, Fs/Tr, Ns/Cr, and Ns/Tr) under adequate (0.25 mg/L) or deficient (0.001 mg/L) B supply for 300 days in sand culture. The results showed that B concentrations in buds and leaves of Fs-grafted plants were significantly higher than the respective concentrations of Ns-grafted plants under B-deficient conditions. Moreover, B distribution of Fs-grafted plants due to B deficiency was reduced less in leaves, but more in roots as compared to that of Ns-grafted plants. However, Ns/Cr accumulated more B in the scion stem (24 %) than the other combinations (17–19 %) when B was limited. A correlation was established between B efficiency and the ratio of B concentration in the rootstock stem or buds to the scion stem. Under B-deficient conditions, the ratio of available B (free B and semi-bound B) was significantly higher in leaves in Cr-grafted (36 %) than Tr-grafted plants (29 %), but lower in roots of Fs-grafted (22 %) than Ns-grafted plants (28 %). These results suggest that, under B-deficient conditions, differential B efficiency arises probably because Cr transports more B into scion, Fs redistributes B more efficiently within the plant, or both.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Dr. Huoyan Wang, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, for his technical assistance. This research was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31272121).

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

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Author notes

  1. Gaofeng Zhou

    Present address: Institute of Tropical and Subtropical Economic Crops, Yunnan Academy of Agricultural Science, Baoshan, 678000, Yunnan, China

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Biology (Ministry of Education), College of Horticulture and Forestry Science, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, China

    Nannan Wang, Tingshuai Yan, Lina Fu, Gaofeng Zhou, Yongzhong Liu & Shu’ang Peng

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  1. Nannan Wang
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  2. Tingshuai Yan
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  3. Lina Fu
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Correspondence to Shu’ang Peng.

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Communicated by U. Lüttge.

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Wang, N., Yan, T., Fu, L. et al. Differences in boron distribution and forms in four citrus scion–rootstock combinations with contrasting boron efficiency under boron-deficient conditions. Trees 28, 1589–1598 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00468-014-1067-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00468-014-1067-1

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