Toxicity of boron and sodium from irrigation is affecting “Sugar Kiss” melon plants and fruits. A case study in USA.

Problem.

Sandstone has a field with a grower in Fresno County (CA) that is nutritionally challenged. He is growing ´Sugar Kiss´ melon, a cultivar bred in Asia which is not a cantaloupe and develop typical netting. More info is easily available at the internet. Sandstone has the exclusive rights to the seeds in the America. The symptoms that are in the photos below do not exist in the edges of the field where there are fewer plants and no competition. The 2nd and 3rd sets are struggling to finish and net normally. The field was ready to harvest in a few days. Previously the grower knew about high levels of boron in the water and low N content.  It is well known about the competition of potassium, magnesium, molybdenum and iron with boron absorption.  The same competition is true for boron when keeping a high calcium available in the soil. Also it is known that it elevated nitrogen fertilization can induce a boron deficiency. If the reverse assumptions are true, boron excess can induce the symptoms in plats (leaves) and fruits reported in the pictures below.

Leaves affected by boron and sodium toxicity. (C) Milas Russell, Jr. Published with permission

Leaves affected by boron and sodium toxicity. Detail. (C) Milas Russell, Jr. Published with permission

´Sugar Kiss´melons affected by the Boron toxicity issue. (C) Milas Russell, Jr..Published with permission.

Plantation affected in Fresno County (CA). (C) Milas Russell, Jr. Published with permission.

The problem after leaf analysis.

The leaves obtained from areas affected in the center of the plot were affected by 37.5% higher levels of boron and sodium compared with normal levels at the edges (end) of the field (data not shown).

The stage of the melons during harvest is shown in the video below.

 

Video of the harvest season in the plot. (C) Milas Russell, Jr. Published with permission. 

Recommendation.

Treatments during the growing season include overdose of organic matter and foliar application of fertilizers.

When you remove the crop affected by Bo toxicity you have to do the following protocol: turning the furrow and mix 50 cm of the soil profile. Also, water should be treated with filters to remove boron and excess of sodium.

Acknowledgement: To Milas Russell, Jr. (Sandstone Melon Company, Inc.; Primetime Harvesting, Inc.) for authorizing the reproduction of pictures, video and data. He is really the author of the post. To Juan García Vergara and Alejandro Pérez Pastor for sharing their experiences with us. To Gene Lester (USDA) for good recommendations to the grower.