Assessing the Impact of Co-fertilization of Silicon with Macronutrient Fertilizers on Yield, Nutrient Uptake, use Efficiency and Grain Quality of Rice in Sandy Clay Loam Soil

Abstract

This study wanted to clarify the impact of silicon (Si) fertilization on nutrient uptake, silicon use efficiency, yield and quality of rice and to detect the rate and mode of application of Si fertilizer in silicon deficient soil. The field experiment was conducted with ten treatment combinationsof100% NPK,100% NPK + potassium silicate (PS)@ 0.25%,0.50% and 1.0% Foliar spray (FS) at tillering stage,100% NPK + PS@ 0.25% ,0.50% and 1.0%FS at tillering and panicle initiation stages,100% NPK + PS@ 50,100 and 150 kg Si ha-1soil application (SA). Application of 50 kg Si ha-1 through PS recorded the highest grain (6183 kg ha-1) and straw (6740 kg ha-1) yield, and higher uptake of macronutrients (NP&K) in rice and it was on par with foliar spray of 1% Si sprayed at tillering stage. Silicon uptake increased linearly with Si levels and the maximum uptake was recorded with 150 kg Si ha-1 and foliar spray at 1% Si. Foliar spray recorded higher Si use efficiency compared to soil application. Rice grain quality viz., protein, amylose and carbohydrate were significantly influenced by silicon addition. The results proved that both foliar and soil application of Si through potassium silicate in sandy clay loam soil could enhance the rice yield, nutrient uptake and grain quality by means of improving nutrient use efficiency.