Tolerance to hydric stress on cultivars of silicon-fertilized corn crops: absorption and water-use efficiency

Abstract

Silicon (Si) has several specific functions and is considered a beneficial element, attributing high accumulation in the tissues of the plant. The accumulation of silica in the cell wall reduces the loss of water by transpiration, and may be an adaptation factor to water stress. The objective of this research was to evaluate the efficiency of different maize crops using calcium silicate as hydric stress reducer. The experiment was organized in factorial scheme completely randomized with 2 doses of calcium silicate (0 and 100 % of calcium silicate indicated to liming of the soil) with two irrigation depth: (30 and 100 % of necessary water reposition in this soil) e two cultivars seeds of Zea mays L. (cv. BRS-1010) considered sensitive and (cv. DKB-390) well as tolerant to hydric stress, the study composed by four repetitions. During the research, we studied the production of dry matter on the leaves and stem, the weight of 1000 seeds and the yield. Regarding gas exchange, we measured. Lastly, water use efficiency was quantified to compare the different treatments. Based on the data obtained retrieved by this research, the results in terms of stem and leaves dry matter, and yield, were better in both cultivars when using calcium silicate, regardless of irrigation depth. This research also got us to the conclusion that both corn cultivars cv. BRS-1010, sensible to hydric stress, and cv. DKB-390, tolerant to hydric stress had the biggest yield in the presence of calcium silicate, when applied the smallest. The best water use efficiency was obtained in the treatment with calcium silicate; applying 30% irrigation depth cv. DKB 390 was the most productive one, with bigger tolerance to water deprivation.