Boron in Plants and Agriculture

Exploring the Physiology of Boron and Its Impact on Plant Growth

1st Edition - June 18, 2022
Editors: Tariq Aftab, Marco Landi, Ioannis E. Papadakis, Fabrizio Araniti, Patrick H. Brown
Language: English
Paperback ISBN:
9 7 8 - 0 - 3 2 3 - 9 0 8 5 7 - 3
eBook ISBN:
9 7 8 - 0 - 3 2 3 - 9 0 8 5 8 - 0

Boron in Plants and Agriculture: Exploring the Physiology of Boron and Its Impact on Plant Growth highlights the various emerging techniques and applications that are currently… Read more

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Boron in Plants and Agriculture: Exploring the Physiology of Boron and Its Impact on Plant Growth highlights the various emerging techniques and applications that are currently being used in plant-boron interaction studies, and provides a direction towards implementation of programs and practices that will enable sustainable production of crops, resilient to boron stress.

Boron is an important micronutrient that plays a crucial role in the growth and development of plants, however despite a significant amount of recent research, there has remained a gap in the understanding of boron update and transportation. Boron deficiency is one of the most widespread deficiencies among plant micronutrients in agriculture and it causes a wide range of symptoms including the cessation of root elongation, reduced leaf expansion and the loss of fertility, depending on the plant species and developmental stage.

This book reviews and integrates the currently available information on the impact of boron on functional and adaptive features of plants from molecular, biochemical, physiological to whole plant level. It is a key resource for those working in stress physiology, stress proteins, genomics, proteomics, genetic engineering and other fields of plant physiology related to boron nutrition, including agriculture.

Cover image
Title page
Table of Contents
Copyright
List of contributors
Preface
Chapter 1. Essentiality of boron in higher plants
Abstract
1.1 Introduction
1.2 Importance of boron in agriculture
1.3 Importance of boron in higher plants during the vegetative phase
1.4 Importance of boron in higher plants during the reproductive phase
1.5 Boron dynamics and transport inside higher plants
1.6 B translocation and distribution in higher plants
1.7 Sensitive and tolerant plants to different concentrations of boron
1.8 Boron deficiency in higher plants
1.9 Boron toxicity in higher plants
1.10 Conclusion and future perspectives
References
Chapter 2. Boron in fruit crops: plant physiology, deficiency, toxicity, and sources for fertilization
Abstract
2.1 Introduction
2.2 Boron roles in physiology and transport
2.3 Boron toxicity and deficiency symptoms
2.4 Boron availability to plants, fertilization, and boron sources
2.5 Boron mineral sources and fertilization
Acknowledgements
References
Chapter 3. Boron deficiency and toxicity symptoms in plants
Abstract
3.1 Introduction
3.2 Symptoms of boron deficiency
3.3 The deficiency of boron
3.4 The boron toxicity
3.5 Gene expression and boron
3.6 Conclusion and future prospect
References
Chapter 4. Molecular regulatory mechanisms in plants that underlie phenotypic adaptations to low boron levels
Abstract
4.1 Introduction
4.2 Cessation of plant growth in boron deficient conditions: cell elongation or cell division
4.3 Interactions of boron with phytohormones
4.4 Boron deficiency and transcript level changes
4.5 Conclusions and outlook
References
Chapter 5. From outside to inside: mechanisms modulating plant responses to boron stress
Abstract
5.1 Introduction
5.2 Architectural adaptation of the root system to boron availability
5.3 Regulation of boron uptake: a central process for homeostasis
5.4 The role of boron distribution and redistribution in plant adaptation
5.5 Biochemical and physiological changes regulating stress tolerance by boron
5.6 Molecular effects underlying the effects of boron in plants
5.7 Adaptive mechanisms to boron stress in the reproductive phase
5.8 Concluding remarks
Funding
References
Chapter 6. Physiological and biochemical mechanisms and adaptation strategies of plants under boron deficiency conditions
Abstract
6.1 Introduction
6.2 Impact of boron stress on crop productivity
6.3 Physiological response of crops under boron stress
6.4 Biochemical response of crops under boron stress
6.5 Conclusion
References
Chapter 7. Role of physical and chemical agents in plants for tolerance to boron nutrition
Abstract
7.1 Introduction
7.2 Public attributes and chemistry of boron
7.3 Higher plants require boron as a micronutrient
7.4 Toxicity of boron in plants and boron nutrition
7.5 Boron pptake and transport mechanisms
7.6 Boric acid channels, functions and regulation
7.7 The borate exporters: physiological functions
7.8 Boron roles in plants
7.9 Roles of boron in plant metabolism
7.10 Plant tolerance to boron
7.11 Primary considerations
7.12 Revisiting tolerant mechanisms
7.13 Plant genetic modifications for boron susceptibility and resilience
7.14 Conclusions
References
Chapter 8. Impact of boron and its toxicity on photosynthetic capacity of plants
Abstract
8.1 Introduction
8.2 Boron toxicity and photosynthesis
8.3 Conclusion
References
Chapter 9. Comprehensive analyses of gene expression and identification of metabolites for boron stress tolerance
Abstract
9.1 Introduction
9.2 BOR1 homologs in plants
9.3 The metabolites for boron stress tolerance
9.4 Gene regulation under boron-deficient conditions
9.5 Gene regulation under conditions of excessive boron
9.6 Conclusion
References
Chapter 10. Transcription factors and target genes involved in plant responses to high boron adaptation
Abstract
10.1 Introduction
10.2 Transcription factors identified in Arabidopsis thaliana under boron toxicity
10.3 Transcription factors identified in barley under boron toxicity
10.4 Transcription factors identified in poplar under boron toxicity
10.5 Transcription factors identified in rice under boron toxicity
10.6 Transcription factors identified in wheat under boron toxicity
10.7 Transcription factors identified in Puccinellia distans under boron toxicity
10.8 miRNAs involved in post-transcriptional control under boron toxicity
10.9 Long noncoding RNAs involved in post-transcriptional control under B toxicity
10.10 Known functions of identified transcription factor families under boron toxicity
10.11 Conclusion
References
Chapter 11. Alleviation of boron toxicity in plants by silicon: mechanisms and approaches
Abstract
11.1 Introduction
11.2 Silicon-induced alleviation of boron toxicity
11.3 Prospects and challenges
References
Chapter 12. Agronomic aspects of boron: fertilizers, agronomical strategy, and interaction with other nutrients
Abstract
12.1 Introduction
12.2 Status of boron in soils
12.3 Importance and functions of boron in plants
12.4 Importance of boron in agriculture and quality of production
12.5 Responses of different plants/varieties to the status of boron in the soil
12.6 Effect of soil properties on bioavailability of boron
12.7 Interactions of boron with other nutrients
12.8 Management of boron in the agricultural soils
12.9 Boron fertilizers
12.10 Conclusion and future perspectives
References
Chapter 13. Boron, hormones and secondary metabolites in plants: a molecular point of view
Abstract
13.1 Introduction
13.2 Roles of boron in plant metabolism
13.3 Boron transport mechanisms
13.4 The boron nutritional status evokes contrasting changes in plant hormones metabolism
13.5 Effect of boron deficiency on plant development
13.6 Alleviation of the effects of boron toxicity
13.7 Conclusions and future prospects
References
Chapter 14. An overview on boron and pollen germination, tube growth and development under in vitro and in vivo conditions
Abstract
14.1 Introduction
14.2 In vitro studies on boron and pollen
14.3 In vivo studies on boron and pollen
14.4 Conclusion
References
Chapter 15. Impact of boron nutrition on pollen stigma interaction and seed quality
Abstract
15.1 Introduction
15.2 Experimental design
15.3 Pollen–stigma interaction
15.4 Steps in pollen–stigma interaction
15.5.1 Esterase
15.5.2 Acid phosphatase
15.5.3 Peroxidase (POD)
15.6 Impact of boron stress on floral development, pollen growth and enzymatic activities
15.7 Impact of boron stress on seed yield and its quality
15.8 Conclusion
References
Index

Tariq Aftab

Tariq Aftab received a Ph.D. degree in the Department of Botany, Aligarh Muslim University, India, and is currently an Assistant Professor there. He received prestigious Leibniz-DAAD fellowship from Germany, a Raman Fellowship from the Government of India, and Young Scientist Awards from the State Government of Uttar Pradesh and Government of India. He has worked as Visiting Scientist at IPK, Gatersleben, Germany, and in the Department of Plant Biology, Michigan State University, United States. He has edited 14 books with international publishers, including Elsevier Inc., Springer Nature, and CRC Press (Taylor & Francis Group), co-authored several book chapters, and published over 65 research papers in peer-reviewed international journals. His research interests include physiological, proteomic, and molecular studies on medicinal and crop plants.

Affiliations and expertise

Assistant Professor, Department of Botany, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, India

Marco Landi

Marco Landi is a senior scientist in plant physiology and biochemistry at University of Pisa, Italy. His research focuses on biochemical, molecular and physiological mechanisms through which Mediterranean plants accommodate environmental stress. Recent research has investigated the photoprotective role of carotenoids, anthocyanins and flavonoids sensu lato in plants subjected to climate change factors. His research group is also developing optical models to assess the occurrence of anthocyanin-metal bonding, to explore the possibility that anthocyanins might additionally function as metal chelators.

Affiliations and expertise

Senior Scientist in Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy

Ioannis E. Papadakis

Ioannis E. Papadakis received his PhD in Pomology from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (Greece) in 2004. Currently, he is working as Assistant Professor in Agricultural University of Athens, Greece. He has authored more than 39 research articles published in peer-reviewed journals and more than 50 full research articles published in conference proceedings in English or Greek language. His research interests include plant nutrition and fertilization; abiotic stresses (nutrient deficiencies and toxicities, drought, salinity, waterlogging, etc.); sexual and asexual propagation of fruit tree species; evaluation of fruit tree cultivars and rootstock, and effects of various cultural practices on tree yield and fruit quality.

Affiliations and expertise

Assistant Professor, Agricultural University of Athens, Athens, Attiki, Greece

Fabrizio Araniti

Fabrizio Araniti is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences at the University of Milan in Milan, Italy. Previously, he received his PhD in 2011 in Plant Ecophysiology from the University “Mediterranea” of Reggio Calabria, Italy. He has co-authored over 45 internal journal articles and 7 book chapters. His research interests are mainly focused on plant-plant interaction and extraction, identification and study of secondary metabolites of plant origin with herbicidal activity on their impact on the physiology and metabolism of plants, and on their potential use in eco-friendly agriculture.

Affiliations and expertise

Assistant Professor, Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy

Patrick H. Brown

Dr. Brown is a distinguished professor at the University of California, Davis - USA. He received his B.Sc. in 1984 from Adelaide University, Australia and Ph.D from Cornell University, USA in 1988. Dr. Brown is recognized globally as a leader in both basic and applied plant nutrition research with notable contributions including the establishment of nickel as the 14th essential plant nutrient, founding research on the function, transport and management of boron, and significant contributions to research on potassium, nitrogen, zinc, foliar fertilization, salinity and biostimulants. Dr. Brown has authored more than 220 scientific journal articles, and is among the highest cited experts in plant nutrition globally. Dr. Brown has received many awards for excellence in research and extension including the United States Department of Agriculture extension award, the American Society of Plant Biology Dennis Hoagland Award for Plant Nutrition, and the Soil Science Society of America Leo M Walsh Distinguished Lecturer award for Soil Fertility Research and Extension and the International Fertilizer Association’s Norman Borlaug Award for career contributions to Plant Nutrition. Dr. Brown was awarded the position of Distinguished Professor, University of California-Davis in 2021.

Affiliations and expertise

University of California-Davis, Distinguished Professor, Department of Plant Sciences, University of California, Davis, CA, USA