THE EFFECT OF BORIC ACID ON THE GROWTH OF TOBACCO PLANTS IN NUTRIENT SOLUTIONS

Abstract

Although it is quite possible to grow tobacco in all parts of America and in most of the countries of the world, it is well known that only a few restricted regions produce the world's supply, and attempts to establish the industry in new sections with few exceptions have ended in failure. Apparently there is something in the soil or possibly in the climate of these tobacco growing sections, which is favorable for the development of tobacco of a quality which the trade desires. Fertilizers are known to have a very marked effect on the quality of tobacco which is produced; for instance, chlorine in the fertilizer is not favorable to quality, while potassium is decidedly so. There is considerable knowledge concerning the effect of some of the major elements in the nutrition, but it is not sufficient to explain altogether the peculiar behavior of tdbacco on different soils and under different fertilizer treatments. Although it has long been suspected that some of the elements may have a decided influence in this respect, practically no experimental work with them has been recorded. The present investigation was undertaken with the object of determining the influence of one of these minor elements, viz., boron, in the nutrition of tobacco. Similar studies of boron on other plants have indicated that it is of considerable importance; but, with one exception, tobacco has not been included among the plants used in such investigations. In this paper the effects of boron on plants when grown in chemically pure water culture solutions are under consideration.