Physiological Responses of Oil Palm Seedlings to the Drought Stress Using Boron and Silicon Applications

Abstract

A B S T R A C T The objectives of the study were to determine (1) The level of physiological resistance of oil palm seedlings to drought stress by boron (B) and silicon (Si) application and (2) The mechanism of B and Si actions to induce physiological resistance of oil palm seedlings to drought stress. The B and Si were the elements capably inducing the internal resistance of plant tissues to drought stress, especially through physiological resistance mechanisms. Field trial was arranged in the factorial Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) using three blocks as replications. The first factor was six dose of B: 0.00, 0.17, 0.44, 0.87 and 1.31 g plantG 1 . The second factor was five dose of Si: 0.00, 1.15, 2.31, 3.46 and 4.69 g plantG 1 . Observations were done on the Nitrate Reductase Activity (NRA), the content of chlorophyll a, b and total, density, length and width of stomatal aperture, stomatal conductance and transpiration rate, photosynthetic rate and photosynthetic activity per plant, dry weight of plant parts and trunk height and diameter of the oil palm seedlings. The data were analyzed using ANOVA and the means were separated using Duncan's multiple range test at 5% level. Meanwhile, the optimum dose of B and Si were determined using regression analysis. The results showed that B and Si application could induce physiological resistance of oil palm seedlings to drought stress. Mechanism of action of B in inducing physiological resistance of oil palm seedlings to drought stress were by increasing of greenish leaves, width of stomatal aperture and photosynthetic activity per plant while Si application capable to increase of greenish leaves and to decrease the density of lower leaf surface stomatal. The optimal dose of B was 0.33-0.57 g/seedlings and the optimal dose of Si was 2.22 g/seedling in inducing physiological resistance of oil palm seedlings to drought stress.