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The study was based on soil samples taken after the long-term fertilizer experiment (1974–2014) where different doses of nitrogen and potassium were applied. The experiment was located at the Research Station of the UTP University of Science and Technology in Bydgoszcz (Poland). The long-term application of nitrogen and potassium fertilizers leads to changes in the concentration of mercury, soil acidification, reduction in total organic carbon, total nitrogen as well as affluence of available nutrients (P, K, Mg) and increased mobility of copper and zinc. The significant positive correlation between total mercury content in the soil and the content of N-NO3, Zn, N-NH4 and the hydrolytic acidity value were stated.

The effects of mineral and organic fertilization on the contents of Fe, Cu, Zn, Mn, B and Mo in soil and in the soil solution as well as on availability of these elements for crops were investigated in the long-term field trial. The highest contents of Zn, Fe, Mn and Cu in soil and soil solution were observed in the treatment with the lowest pH (NPK). In this same combination the content of B and Mo was the lowest. The concentration of Zn, B and Fe in the soil solution significantly increased under farmyard manure application. Liming significantly decreased contents extractable by 1 mol/L HCl forms of Mn and Zn and significantly increase the content of Mo in the soil. Regardless of fertilization applied, microelement concentrations in the soil solution are sufficient for fulfilling nutritional needs of plants cultivated during the trial.

The determination of a range of boron concentration in the soil solution, evaluation of the effect of physicochemical soil properties on boron concentration in the soil solution as well verification whether boron quantity in the soil solution is sufficient for nutritional needs of selected plants cultivated in Poland were comprised. Av erage boron concentration in the soil solution of Poland’s cultivated soils ranges from 0.59 to 5.07 µmol/L and is differentiated by physico-chemical properties of soil. Taking into account decreasing effects of soil properties on the increase of boron concentration in the soil solution, the soil properties can be arranged as follows: organic C > soil abundance in available boron > soil texture > soil pH. The minimum boron quantity observed in the soil solu tion of Poland’s cultivated soils was not sufficient to fulfil nutritional needs of the plants. The maximum boron quantity observed secured nutritional needs of cereals and potatoes but not those of rape plants and sugar beets. Based on the study it can be concluded that the measurement of the concentration of boron in the soil solution can be used in the diagnosis of deficiency of this element for crops.