Abstract:
A field experiment was
conducted at University of Agriculture,
Faisalabad, Pakistan, to investigate the
effect of foliar application of silicon on
yield and quality of fine rice (Oryza sativa
L.). The research was designed as
randomized complete block design (RCBD)
having three replications and 6m x 4.5m net
plot size was maintained. Foliar applications
of silicon’s aqueous solution were used as
treatments comprised of control, 0.25%,
0.50%, 1.00% silicon solutions. Nursery of
30 days old seedling nursery was
transplanted to the plots under aerobic
condition and 22.5cm hill to hill distance
was maintained. Sodium silicate (20.35%
Si) as the source of silicon (soluble in warm
water) was used. Fertilizer inputs as
nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium were
uniformly applied at the rate of 100, 67, 67
kg ha-1 while all other agronomic practices
were kept constant for all the treatments.
The data from the field (yield components)
as well as lab analysis (quality parameters)
was recorded according to the standard
procedures. Fisher’s analysis of the variance
technique was used for statistical analysis
and treatment’s mean differences were
compared using least significant difference
(LSD) test at 5% probability level. Silicon
showed no significant effect on plant height,
harvest index, number of kernels and
opaque kernels percentage. Silicon (0.50%
silicon solution) produced maximum grain
diameter and grain protein while silicon @
1.00% silicon solution resulted maximum in
number of productive tillers, straw yield,
spike per panicle, 1000 grain weight, paddy
yield and grain starch. All others parameters
have overlapping results of different silicon
levels.
