Effect of Boron Fertilizer on the Root Growth Characteristics and Nutrient Contents of the Tuberous Root of Yacon

[Objectives]This study was conducted to investigate the effects of boron fertilizer on the root system and nutrient contents of yacon.[Methods]By the field test method,high-and low-dose of boron fertilizer(Na2B8O13,9000 and 3000 g/hm2)and equal amount of clean water(CK)were sprayed 3 times in the soil area where plants were grown in the early,middle and late stages of yacon growth,and the effects of applying boron fertilizer on the growth and fruit quality of yacon were analyzed.[Results]The indexes of the root system of yacon treated with boron fertilizer were significantly higher than those of the CK.The yield and total sugar,vitamin C,ash,Ca,Fe,Zn and other nutrients of the boron fertilizer treatments increased significantly compared with the CK.The yields of the low-and high-dose treatments increased by 77.2%and 211.2%,respectively,compared with the CK;and the contents of total sugar,vitamin C,ash,Ca,Fe and Zn in the high-dose treatment increased by 28.4%,163.6%,33.2%,73.3%,41.2%and 56.2%,respectively,compared with the CK.The nutrients in yacon treated with the low dose of boron fertilizer were lower than those with the high dose.The application of boron fertilizer could increase the yield of yacon,improve its quality and increase the contents of nutrients such as Ca,Fe,Zn and total sugar.[Conclusions]This study provides a reference for the reasonable application of boron fertilizer in the production of yacon and the improvement of the quality of yacon.