ABSORPTION AND TRANSLOCATION OF BORON APPLIED TO AERIAL TISSUES OF FRUITING RELIANCE PEACH-TREES

Natural and B-10-enriched boric acid solutions were sprayed on whole t rees or certain parts of 'Reliance' peach trees (Prunus persica L. Bat sch) to estimate the uptake and translocation of B. The tissues were a nalyzed for total B and B-10 : B-11 ratio. The single or multiple spra y treatments of 233 mg B/liter applied at full bloom (FB), FB + 2 week s, and FB = 4 weeks did not increase B concentrations in leaves or ste ms collected 45,75, and 105 days following FB. Individual limbs spraye d with 0, 200, 400, 600, or 1200 mg B/liter did not affect B concentra tions in six aerial plant parts harvested 3 days following treatment. Boron uptake and translocation were also studied by applying 30 mul of 600 mg B/liter from B-10-enriched boric acid as spot treatments to va rious peach plant parts. Leaves, stems, and fruit absorbed B-10 and tr anslocated it to nontreated tissues. However, only a small amount of B -10 was absorbed by 3 days after treatment.