PJB-2019-179
Silicon improves rice nutrition and productivity under salinity
Niaz Ahmed, Maria Murtaza, Muhammad Arif Ali, Muhammad Baqir Hussain, Sajid Mahmood, Muhammad Akram Qazi, Iftikhar Ahmad and Zeeshan Haider
Abstract
Silicon (Si) is a beneficial nutrient for plant growth and productivity. Our investigation was conducted to study the influence of Si application for ameliorating the adverse effects of salinity on rice through sodium regulation in plant tissues. Three same textured soils (sandy clay loam) with different electrical conductivity (ECe: 2.85, 5.28 and 7.57 dS m-1) and pH (8.1, 8.6 and 8.9) were collected at 0-15 cm depth from the Bahauddin Zakariya University Agricultural Farm in Multan, Pakistan. The Si @ 50, 75 and 100 mg kg-1 as calcium silicate was applied to pots containing 10 kg sandy clay loam soil (sand 48%, silt 17%, clay 35%). A control without Si application was also maintained. The completely randomized design in 3 × 4 factorial experiment with three replications was established. Thirty days old, seedlings of Kernel Basmati rice were transplanted manually and standard cultural practices were followed. Results showed a significant (p<0.05) effect of soil salinity on rice growth and yield parameters. A reduction in grain, straw, leaf and root concentrations of Si, P and K/Na was observed under salinity; however, Si application at 100 mg kg-1 ameliorated the salinity stress and significantly increased the root/shoot dry weights, tiller numbers, grain numbers per spike, paddy yield, harvest index, and P and Si concentrations in root, straw, leaves and grains over control though similar to Si @ 75 mg kg-1 for shoot dry weight, number of tillers, harvest index, grain/root P concentration and leaf Si concentration. The Si application affected K/Na by increasing K uptake with an associated decrease in Na concentration in plant tissues. Thus, Si application at 100 or 75 mg kg-1 soil (200 or 150 kg ha-1) could be a useful strategy for rice production in salt-affected lands. Shoot dry weight, Number of tillers. Harvest index, Grain/root P conc., Leaf Si conc.
To Cite this article:
Ahmed, N., M. Murtaza, M.A. Ali, M.B. Hussain, S. Mahmood, M.A. Qazi, I. Ahmad and Z. Haider. 2019. Silicon improves rice nutrition and productivity under salinity. Pak. J. Bot., 51(3): DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.30848/PJB2019-3(6)
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