Aiming to evaluate the bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) plant response to boron application in lowland soils, an experiment was conducted in greenhouse conditions, involving four soils (0-20 cm), Low Humic Glei (LHG), Aluvial (A), Humic Gley (HG) and Bog soil (O), the last being artificially drained, all collected in Lavras, MG, Brazil. The experimental design was totally randomized, with four replications, in a 4x7 factorial scheme, consisting of the 4 soils and of 7 B doses (0; 0.25; 0.5; 1.5; 3.0; 6.0 and 10.0 mg dm-3). The soils received dolomitic lime, macro and micronutrients, and the respective doses of B, and were incubated for 24 days. Before seeding, the soils were sampled and analysed for B (hot water). Two plants were cultivated in 3 dm³ pots; at grain maturation the plants were harvested and the dry matter of grains, the number of pods per plant, and the number of grains per pod were evaluated. The results showed significant responses of the bean plant to the applied boron. The B doses, promoting 90% of the maximum yield, varied from 1.04 to 1.25; for maximum yield, varied from 2.50 to 2.85; and for 10% reduction of the yield due to toxicity, varied from 4.54 to 5.33 mg dm-3. The ranking of the productive potential of the soils for 90% of the maximum yield was the following: Humic Gley > Aluvial = Bog > Low Humic Gley.
Phaseolus vulgaris; bean; boron; lowland soil