Impact of Silicon Fertilizer on the Yield of Spring Wheat Under Drought Conditions.

Drought stress causes severe damage to the crop growth and productivity. The goal of this study was to assess the impacts of silicon fertilizer application on a drought tolerant (C-306) and susceptible (Kukri) cultivars of spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). The two wheat cultivars were grown in 1 gallon pots using the mixture of metro mix1:clay (3:1) in three replications under controlled greenhouse conditions. Four treatments of potassium silicate 0 ppm, 350 ppm, 700 ppm, and 1050 ppm were applied 25, 40, 54, 70 days after the planting (DAP). Pots were placed according to the randomized block design. Thereafter, three treatments of water stress were imposed for 12 days as (a) optimum condition: 100% water, (b) Marginal drought stress: reduced irrigation with 50% of water, (c) complete drought stress: 0% water, at the starting of anthesis stage (Feekes scale 10.5.1) followed normal irrigation for two weeks. The plants were harvested and the data for grain yield, thousand kernel weight and biomass was recorded. In susceptible cultivar Kukri the fertilizer treatment of 350ppm, 700ppm increased the grain yield under complete (0%) and partial (50%) drought stress but biomass yield only under partial (50%) drought stress. However, the 700ppm application increased yield and biomass only under normal conditions and did not affect the yield under drought stress. In drought tolerant cultivar C-306 all  applications the silicon fertilizer (350ppm, 700ppm, 1050ppm) increased the grain and biomass yield under normal condition, however under partial drought (50%), only applications of 350ppm, 700ppm showed increase grain yield. There was no effect of silicon fertilizer under complete drought. Further, field study is going on and data from this study will also be presented in the talk. Preliminary data from our study suggests potential of silicon fertilizer in enhancing grain yield of wheat however, further investigations under field conditions are needed for study response of diverse cultivars and environments to silicon fertilizer applications.