ON THE ROLE OF TRACE ELEMENTS IN 

 THE AGRICULTURE OF FINLAND 



hy E. A. Jamalainen, Phil.Dr., 



Agricultural Research Centre, Tikkurila, Finland 



Trace elements and related problems have been investigated 

 in Finland from the points of view of phytopathology and agri- 

 cultural chemistry. A short account of the results of these investi- 

 gations may be of interest. It should be noted that the work on 

 boron and copper has been more thorough than that on other 

 trace elements. 



Boron:— Investigations were started in Finland after the De- 

 partment of Plant Pathology of the Agricultural Research Centre 

 had proved that it was possible to control brown heart in 

 swedes by boron. At the same time, experiments were conducted 

 which showed the necessity of boron for controlling internal cork 

 in apples and heart rot in sugar beets. Without giving a detailed 

 account of these investigations Qcf. Jamalainen 1935, 1936a, 

 1936c, and 1942), attention will be given in this connection to the 

 occurrence of boron deficiency diseases in different plants which 

 again will show us the importance of boron in the agriculture of 

 Finland. 



Sugar heet (Befa vulgaris v. ra'pa f. crossa).— The cultivation 

 of sugar beets in Finland is limited to the southwestern and south- 

 em parts of the country. In the region of the sugar refinery for 

 southwestern Finland, in Salo, heart rot has been found, to some 

 extent, on soils which had been heavily limed. The disease did 

 not appear over extensive areas, but only in small spots. As a 

 result it did not cause any considerable loss in yield. However, if 

 the soil has been excessively limed the disease can cause notable 

 damage. 



