Effect of foliar application of silicon on yield and quality of rice (Oryza sativa L.)

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.