Effect of nano silicon on the performance of transplanted rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during summer season of 2020-21 at Agricultural Research Station, Gangavathi, University of Agricultural Sciences, Raichur, Karnataka to study effect of nano silicon on the performance of transplanted rice. The experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design consisted of nine treatments and replicated thrice. The results revealed that application of silicon in the form of orthosilicic acid 12 per cent effervescent tablets as foliar spray @ 1.0 g lit-1 at 25, 40, and 55 days after transplanting resulted in the maximum uptake of silicon and nutrients like N, P and K. Silicon application improved the growth parameters like plant height, number of tillers plant-1, functional leaf area and dry matter production of rice in turn resulted in best partitioning of dry matter into yield components such as a more number of panicles per sqm2, more number of filled spikelets panicles-1 and higher test weight which in turn have contributed for higher grain and straw yield, gross returns, net returns and b-c ratio than no silicon control and also other silicon treatments.