The Effect of Silicon Compounds Addition on the Growth and Productivity of Zea maize Under Different Levels of Salinity and irrigation

Abstract

A pot experiment was conducted at the Faculty of Agricultural Engineering - Aleppo University. The aim was to verify the effect of silicon compounds on the growth and productivity of maize in four soils of varying salinity and at different levels of irrigation. The dry weight of the shoot, root and grain weight of maize plant was about 4.26, 1.64 and 5.81 g/plant, respectively, with an increase in soil salinity of 1 mmose/cm. But adding silicon to the soil helped the maize plants withstand salinity stress. The results also showed that the concentration of added silicon compounds had a positive effect on the average dry weight of the shoot and root and grain weight of maize plant, where the average dry weight of shoot and root and grain weight of maize plant increased by about 0.25, 0.10 and 0.23 g/plant, respectively, with an increase The added silicon concentration is 1 mg Si/kg soil. The results also showed that the level of irrigation from the field capacity had a negative impact on the average dry weight of the shoot and root system and the weight of grains of the maize plant, where the average dry weight of the shoot and root and grain weight of the maize plant decreased by about 2.12, 0.74 and 2.64 g/plant, respectively. Decreased irrigation level by 10% of the field capacity. But the addition of silicon compounds in the soil helped maize plants to withstand drought stress, as the addition of silicon at a concentration of 12.5 mg/kg soil, increased the weight of grains in the plant by about 16.94 and 19.64 percent, while adding silicon at a concentration of 25 mg/kg soil, increased the Grain weight is about 31.22 and 37.65% when adding 75 and 50% of the field capacity, respectively.