ABSTRACT
Boron (B), an essential element for plant growth, becomes damaging to plant development if it is present in lower or higher concentrations in soil than required. Though boron deficiency in soil can be ameliorated using B loaded fertilizers, B toxicity is difficult to be removed from the soil posing greater challenges to agricultural production. Wheat, a largely consumed cereal crop is affected by B toxicity in arid and semi-arid regions of the world and their yields are reduced. In such a situation, the development of B-tolerant wheat genotypes is required. In order to develop B-tolerant wheat genotypes, it is necessary to understand the physiological and molecular mechanisms lying under the process. Though efforts have been made in different directions to apprehend the high B tolerance level of few wheat genotypes and to determine the responsible mechanism, still sufficient information is not available. In this chapter, besides discussing the role of B nutrition and the effects of its toxicity in plants, the route of its uptake and translocation in plants especially wheat has been described. The advancement in the research on B toxicity in wheat has been highlighted in the context of identification of wheat QTLs involved in B toxicity tolerance and transcript expression profiling of the transporters involved in the process. After a review of the performed research, it has been suggested that wild wheat material remains less explored in terms of B toxicity tolerance, and their detailed screening may provide efficient genetic resources that can be effectively inserted in the wheat breeding programs to develop tolerant material.
