Efectos de la aplicación de diferentes fuentes de silicio foliar en el cultivo de pimiento, var: yolo wonder

Abstract

Currently, one of the elements that has gained prominence in crop optimization is Silicon (Si), a mineral that has traditionally been underestimated, however, it plays a vital role in the well-being of plants. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of different sources and foliar doses of Si on the development and assimilation of nutrients in the pepper crop. The experimental design corresponds to a DCA. The results showed that there were no significant differences in the biometric variables, such as plant height, stem diameter and the number of leaves, flowers and fruits, between the Si source and dose treatments. This suggests that the Si doses evaluated did not have a substantial effect on the overall growth of pepper plants. However, significant effects of Si were observed on the foliar chemistry of the plants. Si treatments showed lower concentrations of nitrate and potassium compared to the control group. In addition, higher sodium concentrations were recorded in some Si treatments, and pH values in both the leaf area and plant tissues were decreased in the Si 1000 and K4(SiO4) treatments. These findings indicate that Si can influence the foliar chemistry of pepper plants. Regarding salinity and EC, statistical differences were found in the values of the extracts of leaves and stem plus petiole, but these differences do not seem to have a significant practical impact on the growth and development of the plants.