Abstract
Plant growth is limited by salinity stress. There are few strategies for alleviating it although Arthrospira platensis and silicon can stimulate plants to grow under stress conditions. The aim of this work was to study the effects of both a single and a joint application of Arthrospira platensis and silicon on the growth of Pelargonium hortorum L.H. Bailey under salt stress conditions. Plants were exposed to 2.0, 3.0, and 3.5 dS m−1 EC (electrical conductivity), with and without the application of microalgae and silicon. At the end of the trial, the biometric parameters and the plant analysis were determined. The microalgae hydrolysate concentration was 5 g L−1 and the silicon concentration was 150 mg L−1. Foliar spraying was applied weekly. Pelargonium can be grown in moderately saline irrigation water (3.0 dS m−1). This bedding plant mitigates salt stress by avoiding the uptake of Cl− ions and by tolerating a high Na+ concentration in the tissue. The joint foliar application of Arthrospira microalgae and silicon stimulates root, shoot, leaf, and flower formation in the Pelargonium hortorum L.H. Bailey crop under salinity conditions (3.5 dS m−1).
Highlights
There is a growing need to develop strategies aimed at reducing, or replacing, the use of chemicals with natural or biological substances, such as plant biostimulants [1]
The development of innovative technologies based on bioresources, which includes plant biostimulants, have proven to be effective methods at improving crop performance [3]
3.5 dS m−1 resulted in a reduction of more than 20% compared to an EC of 2.0 dS m−1
Summary
There is a growing need to develop strategies aimed at reducing, or replacing, the use of chemicals with natural or biological substances, such as plant biostimulants [1]. Plant biostimulants have attracted considerable interest as a way of enhancing crop performance, resilience to environmental stress, and efficient nutrient use [2]. The development of innovative technologies based on bioresources, which includes plant biostimulants, have proven to be effective methods at improving crop performance [3]. Plant biostimulants contain substances and/or microorganisms whose function, when applied to the plants or the rhizosphere, is to stimulate natural processes that enhance/benefit nutrient uptake, nutrient efficiency, tolerance to abiotic stress, and crop quality [4].
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