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Foliar application of silicon has little effect on hydroponically grown barley (Hordeum vulgare L.)Anja Mavrič Čermelj,
Aleksandra Golob,
Nina Kacjan Maršić,
Mateja Germ, 2023, original scientific article
Abstract: Silicon is an element widely distributed on the earth’s crust. It can ameliorate stress in plants grown in unfavorable conditions. Barley is an important cereal used as a staple food. In our experiment, barley was grown on a floating hydroponics system in a greenhouse. Plants were stabilized in pots containing rockwool. Half of the plants were sprayed with potassium silicate (0.25 ml 6% K2SiO3 L-1) every ten days for 35 days. The vitality of plants during their growth was monitored by measuring the potential photochemical efficiency of photosystem II. After 16 and 35 days of silicon application, shoot length, root length, and fresh and dry biomass were measured. At the end of the experiment, the number of leaves and shoots, specific leaf area, leaf optical properties, and lipid peroxidation were determined as well. The potential photochemical efficiency of photosystem II was close to 0.8 and unaffected by the addition of silicon, indicating a good condition of the plants. Results showed lower leaf reflectance for silicon-treated plants in UVA, UVB, and blue light wavelengths, possibly due to a layer of potassium silicate on leaves. After 16 days, silicon-treated plants’ fresh shoot weight and root length were higher than in control plants. Results showed that additional foliar application of silicon does not cause stress in the barley plant.
Keywords: potassium silicate, barley, Hordeum vulgare, hydroponics, foliar application, silicon
Published in DiRROS: 09.01.2026; Views: 129; Downloads: 54
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