Berate agriglasses: synthesis and application

Glassy microfertilisers possess important advantages in comparison with tra ditional inorganic water soluble salts of trace elements. Use of agriglasse s has a considerable ecological effect. It is known that the boron plays a significant role in all stages of plant development especially in the proce sses of photosynthesis, nitrogen nutrition and carbon-hydrogen exchange. In this paper a review is presented of the synthesis and possible application of borate agriglasses. Microfertilisers containing B2O3, P2O5, K2O, SiO2, ZnO, CoO and MnO have been synthesised from chemical products as well as fr om natural materials by heating at 1300-1400 degreesC for 1-2 h. Kinetics o f glass dissolution have been examined in 2% citric acid and 0.4% HCl. From the results of these studies it is possible to evaluate the rate of assimi lation of nutritive elements by plants. From the agrochemical investigation of several borate microfertilisers their positive influence on the improve ment of plant nitrogen nutrition has been demonstrated. Significantly highe r yields of the plants studied have been obtained by fertilising with borat e agriglasses in comparison with the inorganic borate salts.