Alberta and the Canadian Prairies are poised to face drought conditions once again this summer, with an estimated 70% of the country already being abnormally dry and the worst concentration stretching across AB, SK, and interior BC. (source) Extreme heat, high winds and other volatile environmental conditions can significantly damage the nutrient content of your soil and lead to poor crop yields.
Commercial Boron offers many benefits for crop yield and protection and has become an industry powerhouse for production and sustainability. From increasing soil fertility and boosting disease resistance to enhancing overall plant health and quality, boron can be an essential tool that helps you conquer some of the difficulties faced during drought periods.
At Norstar Agriculture, we’re proud to partner with Canadian farmers and provide access to trusted products like boron, humic acid, lime, and more to ensure your crops are able to thrive even under adverse conditions. Below, well take a look at six core benefits of using boron to help boost your crops. Read on to learn more!
1. Cell Wall Fortification
The cell wall plays a vital role in protecting plants by offering strength and resistance to outside forces. Cell walls are a barrier against pathogens, regulate water management, prevent wilting, and facilitate effective nutrient uptake. In dry and excessively hot conditions or in fields where soil nutrients have become depleted, cell fortitude can begin to suffer. Boron helps to strengthen the cell wall by enhancing pectin synthesis, which boosts growth and strengthens the cell wall simultaneously. By boosting structural resilience, boron increases your crop’s ability to stand up to environmental stressors and produce as planned.
2. Flowering and Fruit Development
For those growing vegetation and fruit, boron helps to give plants a serious nutrience kick during the core reproductive stages. Boron helps support meristems, which allow the plant to divide and grow efficiently. Boron can aid in cell division, ensuring a proper fruit set and allowing growers to enjoy a healthy, bountiful harvest of robust fruits and (flowered) vegetables.
3. Nutrient Uptake and Plant Health
Beyond its structural contributions, boron emerges is also a powerhouse that plays a key role in the metabolism of nitrogen, the synthesis of nucleic acids and proteins, and hormone production. Boron acts as a sort of nutrient “traffic manager,” ensuring that nutrients are absorbed and distributed throughout the plant as effectively as possible, which leads to healthy and resilient crops.
4. Efficient Sugar Transport
Much like nutrient uptake, boron also assists with the uptake and distribution of sugar/carbohydrates through the plant system. Sugars play a core part in allowing for efficient energy production for plants, which is integral during periods of stress, such as droughts, high temperatures, etc. With ample nutrient and sugar distribution and fortified cellular structure, boron helps to protect your plants from every angle, allowing them to self-sustain and remain healthy all season long.
5. Enhanced Pest Resistance
Environmental factors aren’t always limited to the weather. Pests can do a number on crop yield, and plants with poor resilience tend to wither when exposed to external threats like insects and disease. Thankfully, the nutritional boosts discussed above add layer after layer of protection to a plant’s protective mechanisms, allowing it to withstand external factors easily. The result is a robust crop prepared to stand up to whatever nature throws its way.
6. Targeting Boron Deficiency for Maximum Impact
Finally, in fields facing boron deficiency and/or tough climate conditions, commercial boron like OMEX’s Super B can be a game changer. Through precise soil testing and targeted boron fertilization, farmers can address specific deficiencies, customizing their approach to meet the unique needs of their crops. This precision agriculture not only maximizes boron’s effectiveness but aligns seamlessly with the principles of sustainable farming.
OMEX Super B and More at Norstar Agriculture
At Norstar Agriculture, We pride ourselves on partnering with brands we know you can trust to perform as promised during the growing season. OMEX products provide superior quality and performance, making their products the perfect choice for farmers in Alberta and all across Western Canada. Learn more about the benefits of OMEX and our additional agricultural supplements by contacting our team today!
