What should an organic farmer do to correct "Boron" and "Sulpher" deficiencies?

Question

Is "Boric Acid" and "pure sulpher" answer for these?

Answer 1

The similarity of these early symptoms to those of brown spot (Lecanosticta) needle blight (see next paragraph) means that more detailed analysis (such as microscopic examination of spores) is required to distinguish between these species on this host.

Many other factors can cause needle damage and make diagnosis more difficult. For example, boron and sulphur deficiencies cause needle browning. However, in these cases there is usually uniform damage across entire stands, whole needles or tips of needles, whilst symptoms caused by D. pini are more sporadic and may involve only part of a tree or several trees within an otherwise healthy stand.

Generally, it is the needle of lower branches that are the first to be infected and the disease gradually moves up the crown, although in some cases the infection starts in inner parts of lower branches, moves up the inner crown then subsequently outwards along the branches.

Dothistroma pini can be isolated from fruiting bodies and grown in culture where secretion of the red-brown dothistromin toxin provides a useful additional diagnostic aid. However, the fungus is very slow growing (radial growth <1 mm/day at 23°C) and morphological variations are a common occurrence.

Light intensity has a strong influence on the severity of disease. Although the germination of conidia and early growth is unaffected, the development of symptoms is drastically reduced with a low light intensity (c. 58 W/m2)

Answer 2

Organic matter is the primary source of organic Sulfur and Boron for soils.  Compost is a great source of organic matter and, depending on the makeup of the compost, it can be a source of Boron and Sulfur. Leaves are a good source of these micro-nutrients, including Boron and Sulfur. A compost mix of animal manures (which are low in Boron and Sulfur) and leaf litter is an excellent soil amendment and source of both macro and micro-nutrients. Compost application and subsequent build-up of the soil organic matter is the "long-term" approach to remedy Boron and Sulfur deficiencies in the soil. The increased organic matter level will help "tie-up" and retain applied boron and keep it from leaching from the soil as easily. Growing cover crops in the vegetable beds over winter will help to capture and recycle some of the soluble boron that otherwise would be leached away with the fall, winter and early spring rains and snow melt. The Boron will be tied up in the plant tissue of the cover crop, conserved over winter and made available again in spring when the cover crop is turned under and soil microbes breakdown the material.

Kelp Meal (dehydrated chopped seaweed) is another source of micro-nutrients including Boron and Sulfur. Liquid fish and liquid kelp are also sources of soluble nutrients that can be used as a foliage supplemental spray.

Compost tea is another source of soluble Boron and Sulfur.   Since plants can be fed through their leaves, this can be another source of Boron through foliage application of compost tea. The concentration of Boron and Sulfur in compost tea will depend upon the things used to make compost. Typically, foliage applied nutrients have the benefit of being anywhere from 4 to 30 times more efficient than soil applications.

Answer 3

They are the only 2 products generally approved for certified organic properties, but you will need to double-check with your certifying agency.  It depends on what you are farming as to the amounts required.  Remember that with organic sulphur, it is more slowly available than sulphate-sulphur, but is less likely to leach in wet conditions.

Answer 4

Kelp and fish emulsion have both boron and sulfur. Sul-Po-mag is a good source of sulfur as well.

the new farm

http://www.newfarm.org has a lot of information about feeding soils.

Also check with your certifier, they are a good place for such information

Answer 5

you should tell us if you are talking about trying to correct a plants deficiency by foliar application while growing or correct a "soil" deficiency.

for soil

"20 mule team" produces "solubor" and "granubor" and are available in certified organic form.

as for sulfur you can use elemental sulfur or gypsum.  gypsum breaks down pretty quick ( one year ) and has calcium to boot.   my soil usually checks low in calcium as well so i generally use gypsum. but if your cal is fine go with the elemental.  there are copanies that produce both of these products pelletized for easier application.

for foliar

solubor or any certified boron product that is water soluble.

the only fast acting water soluble sulfur i know of is ammonia sulphate,  although i do know some certifying agents wont permit it.

Answer 6

Sulfur can be supplied as ammonium sulfate.  I believe you can add Boron as Sodium Borate.  Any form of Sulfur or Boron could be used if it was added to a composting operation first