Journal
ARCHIVES OF AGRONOMY AND SOIL SCIENCE
Volume 62, Issue 3, Pages 299-315Publisher
TAYLOR & FRANCIS LTD
DOI: 10.1080/03650340.2015.1048235
Keywords
leaf membrane stability index; epicuticular wax; relative water contents; proline contents
Categories
Ask authors/readers for more resources
Silicon has the potential to improve drought tolerance in crops. Seeds primed with silicon were used in the present study to explore its potential benefit to withstand water stress. Seeds of two wheat varieties, NARC-2009 and Chakwal-50, were sown in pots after priming with distilled water and different concentrations (0.5%, 1.0% and 1.5%) of silicon sources (silicic acid, sodium silicate and silica gel) at PMAS, Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi. Maximum silicon uptake at three-leaf stage (0.028 mu gg(-1) dry weight (DW)), anthesis (0.072 mu gg(-1)DW) and maturity (0.103 mu gg(-1)DW) was recorded for silica gel. Silicon uptake increased significantly in response to increase in Si concentration from 0.5% to 1.5%. Leaf membrane stability index, epicuticular wax, relative water content and proline remained maximum - 78.90%, 2.6mgg(-1)DW, 83.88% and 54.90 mu gg(-1) - for silica gel treatments compared with others. Silica gel with 1.5% silicon concentration resulted in maximum spike length (14.3cm), biological yield (7.63gpot(-1)), hundred-grain weight (3.97gpot(-1)) and grain yield (2.46gpot(-1)). Based on the study outcomes, it is concluded that silica gel might be a good priming option with 1.5% silicon concentration to establish plant under drought stress.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available