An overview of the role of nitrogen, zinc and boron elements on the growth and functional characteristics of plants
The world’s population is rapidly increasing, and to meet the growing demand for food, intensive cultivation using more areas and increased use of fertilizers are being implemented. Nitrogen is one of the most important nutrients and a limiting factor in plant growth, playing a vital role in plant nutrition. It is a major component of plant proteins and is involved in metabolic processes related to energy synthesis and transfer, making it essential for natural plant growth. Plants require an adequate amount of nitrogen for healthy growth. As for zinc, it plays a key role as a micronutrient in many physiological processes, including chlorophyll formation, pollen formation, pollination, protein synthesis, cell elongation, nodule formation, and more. Proper zinc nutrition has a significant impact on growth, performance, and physiological parameters. Similarly, boron also has a major role in reproductive tissue function, structural integrity of the plasma membrane, sugar transport, and other processes. In this review, we aim to provide an overview of the nutritional roles of nitrogen, zinc, and boron, as well as the impact of fertilizers containing these elements, such as the liquid fertilizer “Fruit Set Zargreen,” produced by the industrial research group “Farhikhtegan Zarnaam” on physiological parameters, growth, and plant performance.
Keywords: Nitrogen, Zinc, Boron, Nutrition, Zargreen.
Soil is a complex matrix where numerous processes are taking place simultaneously. Understanding soil functions and reactions is essential for comprehending the behavior of nutrients in the soil, which directly impacts plant access to nutrients. Plants require approximately 17 essential nutrients, including primary elements (nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium), secondary elements (calcium, magnesium, and sulfur), micronutrients (iron, zinc, manganese, copper, chlorine, boron, molybdenum, and cobalt), and non-mineral elements (carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen), all of which are obtained from water and air, for their growth and life cycle completion. However, during cultivation and harvesting, the levels of these nutrients in the soil decrease, affecting the quality and quantity of crop production.
Fertilization is a crucial limiting factor for achieving maximum yield and quality in crops. Ensuring an adequate supply of nitrogen and micronutrients is an important strategy to maximize crop production. Nitrogen is a vital mineral nutrient that plays a crucial role in the growth and productivity of crops and affects their quality. It also improves the water use efficiency of the soil. Globally, zinc is recognized as the fifth most common nutritional deficiency in humans, primarily due to its deficiency in the soil. Zinc is an essential element for plants, participating in numerous enzymatic reactions, being necessary for plant growth and involved in the regulation of protein and carbohydrate metabolism. Zinc has specific and essential physiological functions in plant metabolism, impacting performance and quality. Thus, adequate zinc nutrition influences growth, performance, and physiological parameters.
Boron is considered a crucial micronutrient for plant growth and development, and it is absorbed by plants in the forms of boric acid (H3BO3) and borate (H2BO3-). Boron is essential for sugar translocation, reproduction in plants, and germination of pollen grains. Its role in hormone movement and active salt absorption has also been observed, and it plays a significant role in fruit quality. Boron affects the cell wall structure and has a major impact on cell elongation and root growth.
In conclusion, the availability and appropriate balance of essential nutrients like nitrogen, zinc, and boron in the soil are crucial for optimum plant growth, performance, and quality of crops. Proper fertilization and nutrient management practices are essential to replenish the depleted nutrients in the soil and maximize agricultural productivity.
Various experiments and research have been conducted on the use of fertilizers containing nitrogen, zinc, and boron, and some of the results are as follows:
Chandar et al. (2017) reported that the percentage of guava fruit formation increased significantly under the influence of different chemical materials, including borax, zinc sulfate, and urea in both varieties. In another study, it was shown that foliar application of nitrogen in spring is more effective than soil application, leading to increased seed and fruit formation, as well as overall plant performance in perennial fruit trees like Valencia orange (Androulidakis, 2002).
Zahedi Far et al. (2022) investigated the effects of using organic liquid fertilizer “Zargrin” (containing 3% nitrogen, 2.5% phosphorus, 2% potassium, 6% amino acids, and 30% organic matter with pH 5.3) on basil under drought stress conditions. The application of Zargrin prevented the negative effects of stress on leaf greenness index and fresh and dry weight of basil. Moreover, increasing the levels of Zargrin foliar application (0, 2.5, 5, and 7.5 liters per thousand) significantly increased dry weight, height, leaf number, leaf greenness index, and iron concentration in the plant compared to the control.
Prolingz (1974) concluded that during the flowering period, a reduction in nitrogen content was observed in flower buds, which was not seen before flowering. Increasing the nitrogen level in flower buds led to an extended egg life, longer pollen germination, and higher leaf surface in grapefruit, resulting in a higher number and larger-sized fruits, thus increasing the overall yield.
Ghafari Zadeh Jahromi et al. (2022) compared the effects of organic liquid fertilizer “Zargrin” and urea on growth parameters of corn (Single Cross 704) and found that Zargrin significantly increased dry weight compared to the control, indicating its potential for producing healthy and high-yielding crops. A combined application of conventional urea fertilizer and Zargrin can be utilized to enhance both yield and quality.
Abouiji et al. (2021) studied the effects of foliar spraying of zinc sulfate and boron on peanut and found that applying 8 kg of zinc per hectare significantly increased seed number, seed weight, yield per hectare, and seed quality. Additionally, 600 and 900 ml of boron per hectare improved growth parameters, yield, and yield attributes of peanuts. Zinc and boron are recognized as essential elements in enhancing the growth, yield, and quality of peanuts. Boron plays a critical role in physiological processes of plants, including cell elongation, cell maturation, and meristematic tissue growth, as well as protein synthesis.
Marinio et al. (2021) investigated the effects of combined foliar spraying of zinc and boron on hazelnut at four phenological stages. The results showed that both zinc and boron levels increased significantly in leaves, exceeding reported levels in other regions worldwide.
Dixit and Al-Matis (2007) stated that zinc and boron nutrition significantly influenced the growth characteristics of legumes. Their study indicated that foliar spraying of boron significantly improved plant height and dry weight in green pea. In another study conducted by Mete et al. (2021), it was demonstrated that foliar spraying of zinc sulfate and boric acid, either alone or in combination, increased yield and fruit quality in pomegranate.
Overall, these studies reveal the beneficial effects of foliar spraying with combinations of zinc, boron, and nitrogen on plant growth, yield, and fruit quality for various crops like guava, orange, corn, peanuts, hazelnut, and pomegranate.
Given the role of nitrogen, zinc, and boron in the quantity, quality, and performance of plants, and considering the dry and semi-dry climate and calcareous nature of Iranian soils, which are typically deficient in organic matter and nitrogen, the availability of nitrogen is usually limited, which becomes a growth and performance-limiting factor. On the other hand, unbalanced use of fertilizers, especially phosphorus-based ones, and inadequate use of micronutrients result in noticeable deficiencies in these soils. One of the methods to meet the nutritional needs of plants for mineral elements is foliar feeding. In this method, the required elements are quickly and efficiently delivered to the plant. Reduced consumption of chemical fertilizers and the environmental consequences associated with it, such as groundwater pollution and soil degradation, are some of the characteristics of foliar feeding.
Therefore, the use of fertilizers containing these elements, such as “Zargrin Fruit Set Liquid Fertilizer,” with its suitable formulation and organic base, can be beneficial. This fertilizer contains the mentioned elements (5% nitrogen, 5% zinc, and 1% boron by weight) along with free amino acids (3% by weight). Utilizing this fertilizer can enhance the efficient and rapid absorption of elements and ultimately improve the performance of crops both quantitatively and qualitatively.
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Zaman S, Pramanick P, Mitra A (2019) Chemical Fertilizer Department of Marine Science, University of Calcutta, 35, B. C. Road, Kolkata-700 019, India.