Productivity of Some Onion Varieties Under Different Silicates Forms in Relation to Thrips (Thrips tabaci L.) Infection

Gomaa, A,A Barakat,Heidy Shehata,A Kordy,Essam Kandil

doi:10.21608/eajbsh.2020.125317

Abstract

The two field experimentswere carried out at the Experimental Farm, Faculty of Agriculture, Saba Basha, Alexandria University, Alexandria Governorate, Egypt, during the two winter seasons of 2018/2019 and 2019/2020 to study the effect of foilar application of silicon forms on yield, quality and trips population of some onion varieties. This experiment was laid out in split-plot design in three replications in both seasons. The main plot was four onion varieties named; Giza Red, Giza 20, Hybrid Red (Al-Hamra), and Hybrid Yellow (Alabkar), while the subplots were differentsilicon forms (water = control, nano silicon, silicon in tablets, and silicon in powder form) was in both seasons. The obtained results showed that onion varieties differed in the studied characters, foliar application of the different forms of silicon significantly affected yield, and trips population, as well as the interaction between varieties and Si form, was significant in both seasons. Whereas on the other hand, Giza Red recorded the highest values of the studied parameters followed by Giza 20 as compared with the other varieties, also silicon in form nanoparticles (Si NPs)increased growth, yield quality, and decreased population of thrips in onion in both seasons. The interaction between Si forms and onion varieties was significant on all the studied characters, where planting Giza 20 with foliar application of nanoparticles (Si NPs) form recorded the highest values also reduced the population of thrips in the two cropping seasons under the study conditions.

Highlights

Onion (Allium cepa L)) is one of the most important crops grown in Egypt
The results obtained in Tables (2 and 3) showed the significant effect of silicon forms on plant height, fresh weight (g/plant), dry weight (g/plant), number of leaves/plant, and leaf length, bulb weight (g), bulb yield (t/fed), total soluble substances (TSS), K (%) and Si contents in 2018/2019 and 2019/2020 seasons
Concerning the four onion varieties, Tables (2 and 3) revealed that onion varieties differed in all the studied characters i.e. plant height, fresh weight (g/plant), dry weight (g/plant), number of leaves/plant and leaf length, bulb yield (t/fed), total soluble substances (TSS), K (%) and Si contents except bulb weight (g) in both seasons, whereas Giza Red variety the tallest plants and the highest mean values of dry weight, bulb yield, TSS (%), K (%) and Si content, on the other hand, Giza 20 recorded the highest values of dry weight, number of leaves/plant, and leaf length with no significant with Giza Red variety and Giza 20 variety as compared with the other two varieties hybrid Red and Yellow in both seasons

Summary

INTRODUCTION

Onion (Allium cepa L)) is one of the most important crops grown in Egypt. The area harvested was about 63,723 (ha), while the national production was about 2304210 tons (FAO, 2018). The element Si is recognized as a “beneficial quasi-essential” mineral nutrient. The application of silicon in crops provides a viable component of integrated management of insect pests and diseases because it leaves no pesticide residues in food or the environment, and it can be integrated with other pest management practices as biological control (Laing et al, 2015). The aims of this study were to: 1- Study the effect of different forms of silicon (Si) on yield and thrips infection of some onion varieties. 2- Study the interaction effect between silicon forms and onion varieties to determine the best combination, which will increase the production and quality of onion and avoid exposure of the crop to thrips infection

MATERIALS AND METHODS

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

CONCLUSION