Cauliflower: Molybdenum application using pelleted seed and foliar sprays

Abstract Field experiments were conducted at Pukekohe, New Zealand, to compare the effectiveness of molybdenum (Mo) incorporated in a seed pellet (at rates from 24 to 466 g Mo/kg of seed) with a standard foliar spray (1025 g Mo/ha) in meeting the Mo requirements of seedlings of cauliflower (Brassica oleracea L. var. botrytis L.). Very low rates of Mo incorporated in the seed pellet (e.g., 24 g Mo/kg seed) alleviated any Mo deficiency, whereas Mo toxicity resulted when ⩾117 g Mo/kg seed was incorporated. Cultivars differed in their sensitivity to Mo deficiency and toxicity. The implications of these results for practical control of Mo deficiency are discussed.