Effect of foliar application of sodium silicate on yield and grain quality of rice

Abstract

A field study was conducted to investigate the “Effect of foliar application of sodium silicate on yield and grain quality of rice (Oryza sativa L.)” at agricultural college farm, Bapatla during kharif season 2017-18. The research was designed as randomized block design (RBD) which replicated thrice. The treatments were foliar application of silicon at mid-vegetative (20 DAT), mid-reproductive stage (55 DAT) and mid-ripening stage (85 DAT) including control. Sodium silicate (1%) was used as a source of silicon. Fertilizers like nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium were applied as per general recommendations and all other agronomic practices were kept constant for all the treatments. The yield components like number of primary and secondary branches per panicle, panicle length, spikelet length, test weight, harvest index and grain yield; quality parameters like starch content and protein content in grains were evaluated at maturity stage. All the above parameters were positively influenced with foliar application of silicon and this influence was more in reproductive stage of silicon application.