Role of zinc, copper and boron in fruit crops: A review

Abstract

Micronutrients provide special lubricants required for variety of energy transfer mechanism within the plants. They are usually found in association with larger molecules such as cytochromes, chlorophyll and proteins (enzymes). About 40-55% of Indian soils are moderately deficient in Zinc and 25-30% are deficient in Boron. Deficiency of other micronutrients occurs under 15% of soils. Micronutrients happens to improve quality, size, colour, taste and earliness of fruits thereby enhancing their market appeal, improve input use efficiency of NPK fertilizers and water, provide disease resistance, thereby reducing dependence on plant protection chemicals, increase the post-harvest life of horticultural produce thereby avoiding wastage prevent physiological disorders and increase marketable yield. Fruits like citrus, banana, mango, guava, papaya etc. are highly susceptible to various disorders caused by deficiency of micronutrients. Hence judicial application of micronutrients specially zinc, copper and boron may prove to be an effective tool for sustainable fruit production.