Abstract
In conventional solution culture where boron (B) is added as boric acid, fluctuating external B supply often produces confounding and ill-defined physiological and biochemical responses in plants, especially when grown at deficient and marginal B supply. Our previous studies proposed the use of the B-specific resin – Amberlite IRA-743 to develop a B-buffered solution culture. The present study aims to evaluate crucial factors determining equilibrium B concentrations in nutrient solution buffered with the B-loaded resin, including the B loading of the resin, pH in the nutrient solution and B removal from the solution. The equilibrium B concentrations in nutrient solution were determined by both the amount of B sorbed by the resin and the solution pH. At pH 6.05±0.05, the relationship between the resin B content and equilibrium B concentration in the nutrient solution is closely described by the equation: Y = 18.8 X1.457 [ where, Y = equilibrium B concentration (μM) in nutrient solution and X = B content of the resin (mg B g−1 moist resin)]. However, at a given resin B content, lowering solution pH from 7 to 4 significantly increased B concentrations in solution through the release of B from the solid phase of the resin beads. The B-loaded resin was capable of maintaining stable B concentrations in the nutrient solutions, ranging from deficient to marginally adequate B concentrations for dicot species. In conclusion, B concentrations ranging from 0.05 to 11 μM, were buffered for 5 days with the resin loaded with 0.004 – 0.691 mg B g−1 moist resin in the nutrient solution. Precise pH control in the nutrient solution is critical for the success of a B-buffered solution culture study.
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Huang, L., Bell, R.W. & Dell, B. Factors controlling equilibrium boron (B) concentration in nutrient solution buffered with B-specific resin (Amberlite IRA-743). Plant and Soil 208, 233–241 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1004595315639
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1004595315639