Abstract
An improvement in soil properties and crop development with silicate application has been confirmed in several plant species. This study investigated the effect of application of calcium silicate on nutrition and yield of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Wheat plants were grown in 8-L pots filled with clayey Rhodic Hapludox in a greenhouse. The experiment was arranged in a completely randomized design, with five treatments, and four replicates. The treatments consisted of growing wheat plants with 0 (control), 1.2, 2.4, 4.8 and 9.6 Mg ha-1 of calcium silicate (Ca2SiO4). Calcium silicate increased the pH of the soil, and the silicon concentration in leaves and stems of the wheat. Nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), magnesium (Mg), sulphur (S), copper (Cu), and iron (Fe) concentrations in the wheat flag leaves were not affected by the application of calcium silicate, whereas the K and Ca concentrations were increased and the Zn and Mn concentrations were reduced by the application of calcium silicate rates. The application of calcium silicate rates did not affect plant height, number of spikes per pot, shoot dry matter, grain yield and harvest index of wheat. Key words: Triticum aestivum L., plant mineral nutrition, silicon.
Highlights
Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is an important winter cereal crops from Brazil
Silicon is not considered an essential element for plant growth
Zn and Mn concentrations, whereas the treatments did not influence the concentrations of all other nutrients
Summary
Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is an important winter cereal crops from Brazil. In 2012/2013 season, the wheat production area was of 2.0 million ha, producing 4.2 million tons of grains (Conab, 2013). Mostly concentrated in the three southern-most states of Paraná, Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul, is shifting further south. Paraná is the largest wheat producing state. The calcium and magnesium silicate can be used as corrective of soil acidity and as silicon (Si) source (Ribeiro et al, 2011; Crusciol et al, 2009). Silicon is not considered an essential element for plant growth. Several studies have shown that Si application is beneficial to crops such as rice (Zanão Júnior et al, 2010), sugar
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