INFLUENCE OF NANO–SILICA ON WHEAT PLANTS GROWN IN SALT–AFFECTED SOIL

Abstract

A pot experiment was carried out at the Faculty of Technology and Development greenhouse farm in the winter agricultural season 2018–2019. The experiment was planned to study the role of nano–SiO2 on improving the wheat growth and productivity under salinity conditions. Six treatments (two grades of water quality are: tap water and saline water; three additional methods for silica nanoparticles are; 0, Si–soil, foliar) in three replicates. The soil was fertilized by nano–SiO2 before sowing at a rate of 80 mg kg–1and NPK recommended was added uniformly for all treatments. Wheat plants were sprayed five times by nano–silica after the month of sowing every ten days by 600 mg Si L–1 (10 mL pot-1). The wheat plant was irrigated with tap water (0.4 dS m–1) and saline–water (8 dS m–1). The nano–SiO2 was analyzed by some analysis as Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR), the scanning electron Microscopy Coupled with Energy Dispersive X–Ray analysis (SEM–EDAX), the Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), particle size, Specific Surface Area (SSA), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET), X–Ray Diffractometer (XRD). The obtained results indicated a significant clear increase in wheat yield under salinity stress conditions compared with the check treatment. Nano–silica use led to the improvement of nutrients absorption e.g., N, P, K and Si contents under salinity stress conditions. In contrast, Na was reduced with Si increasing in plant tissues. Conclusively, nano–SiO2 improves wheat plants on the growth and tolerance of salt stress up to 80 mg Kg-1 for soil addition and 600 mg L–1 for foliar spray. Keywords: