International Journal of Horticulture, 2025, Vol.15, No.3, 123-132 http://hortherbpublisher.com/index.php/ijh 130 4 Discussion The application of varying concentrations of boron had different effects on cauliflower growth, yield, and other yield-related characteristics. While some traits showed a significant response to boron, others were less influenced. This section analyses boron's impact on key plant parameters and compares the findings with previous studies. Boron application had no significant effect on plant height. Although certain boron treatments resulted in slight increases, the variations were not statistically significant. Similar findings were reported by Bakhtiar et al. (2018), who found that applying micronutrients, including boron, had minimal impact on vegetative growth when soil conditions were optimal. This lack of significant impact may be attributed to low nitrogen and boron availability in the soil, as well as environmental factors that may have masked boron's effects. Similarly, leaf number, length, and breadth did not show significant variations with different boron concentrations, except for leaf number at 60 DAT. External influences such as temperature, soil fertility, water availability, low organic matter, and insufficient nitrogen levels in the soil may have contributed to these results. These findings are consistent with Chaudhari et al. (2017), who suggested that boron primarily affects reproductive growth rather than vegetative growth in Brassica species, including cauliflower. A considerable increase in total biomass was observed with higher boron concentrations, particularly with the application of 0.05% boron three times. This aligns with previous research highlighting boron's role in strengthening cell wall formation and overall plant growth (Arunkumar et al., 2018). The increase in biomass at higher boron levels may be due to improved nutrient absorption and efficient carbohydrate translocation to the plant’s growing parts, as reported by Blevins and Lukaszewski (1998). Boron application significantly enhanced both curd weight and size. Higher boron concentrations (0.05% and 0.075%) resulted in larger and heavier curds, which are essential for commercial value. These findings support the research of Alam and Jahan (2007), who reported similar increases in curd size and weight in Brassica crops with boron supplementation. Curd diameter was also significantly affected by different boron concentrations, with higher doses producing larger curds. This indicates that boron plays a vital role in cauliflower curd development, particularly in promoting size expansion. The application of a 0.025% boron sprayed twice resulted in the largest curd diameter, suggesting that both concentration and frequency of boron application influence curd formation. The increased curd size may be attributed to boron’s involvement in cell wall biosynthesis and its structural role in plant tissues. These findings are consistent with Alam and Jahan (2007), who observed a significant increase in head diameter in cabbage following boron application. Similarly, Md et al. (2018) found that higher boron concentrations improved curd diameter in broccoli. The observed improvements further highlight the importance of micronutrient management in cauliflower cultivation. Boron also played a crucial role in reducing the occurrence of hollow stems. Boron’s role in cell division and the maintenance of xylem differentiation is critical for reducing this disorder of hollowness. It ensures proper nutrient and water transport, reducing the incidence of hollow stem formation (Troeh et al., 2005) . Studies show that boron applications effectively reduce hollowness in cauliflower, enhancing curd quality and marketability (Alam and Jahan, 2007; Chaudhari et al., 2017) . A higher boron concentration significantly decreased hollow stem disorder compared to the control treatment. These results closely align with Islam et al. (2015) and Batal et al. (1997). The experimental result of Sartori de Camargo and da Costa Mello (2009) also supports our study where higher hollow stem disorder was found in control plots while comparing to plots treated with higher doses of Boron per hectare. The highest recorded yield per hectare (25.66 t/ha) was achieved with a 0.075% boron application twice, which was significantly higher than the control yield (9.66 t/ha). Similar results were documented by Kant et al. (2013), who emphasized boron’s role in improving yield by enhancing reproductive growth and nutrient transport. The yield increase can be attributed to boron’s essential role in curd development, as it facilitates the movement of sugars and nutrients to the developing curd (Fouad and Rehab, 2013)
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