Effect of different sources of silicon on spinach grown in chromium contaminated soil

Abstract

Green house experiment was conducted conducted to evaluate the effect of silicon in mitigating the heavy metals in soil and its uptake by spinach. Different silicon sources viz., rice hull biochar (RHB), diatomaceous earth (DE) and calcium silicate were used at different levels. Chromium concentration in spinach shoot after the crop harvest was found to be significantly lower in treatment that recorded highest Si concentration in shoot with the application of RDF + DE @ 500 kg Si ha-1. In postharvest soil samples, lower concentration of Cr was obtained in T9 with the application of RDF + DE @ 500 kg Si ha-1 and higher in treatment without silicon. Application of different sources of silicon was found to be effective in mitigation Cr contamination in plants and also in postharvest soil.