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Silicon (Si) plays a significant role in imparting biotic and abiotic stress resistance
and enhancing crop productivity (Ma et al 1989). It is also crucial in preventing
or minimizing lodging in cereal crops, a matter of great importance in
agricultural productivity. Silicon is the only element known that does not
damage plants with excess accumulation. Rice is a high-Si-accumulator plant and
this element has been demonstrated to be necessary for healthy growth and
stable production. For this reason, Si has been recognized as an “agronomically
essential element” in Japan, and silicate fertilizers have since then been applied
to paddy soils (Ma et al 2001). In recent years, Si has been regarded as a quasi
essential element (Epstein 1999). The depletion of plant-available Si in soils
where rice is grown could be a possible limiting factor that contributes to
declining or stagnating yields (Savant et al 1997). Information on the importance
of Si in Indian rice farming systems is rather limited (Prakash 2002). Therefore,
this study was conducted to evaluate the effects of varying levels of calcium
silicate (as a silicon source) and calcium carbonate on the growth and yield of
rice grown in different soil types in Karnataka, southern India.
Field experiments were conducted in the coastal zone soils of Mangalore
and the hilly zone soils of Mudigere and Ponnampet in Karnataka during 2006
kharif. The texture of the soils at the experimental sites was sandy loam at
Ponnampet (pH 4.6) and Mangalore (pH 4.9), and clay loam at Mudigere (pH
4.7). Calcium carbonate (commercial-grade CaCO3, 28% CaO) was applied based
on calcium oxide equivalent to that supplied by calcium silicate (Excell Minerals,
USA, 12% Si) treatments. The experiments were arranged in a randomized
complete block design with seven treatments (T1: NPK only, T2: T1 + 2 t calcium
silicate ha–1, T3: T1 + 3 t calcium silicate ha–1, T4: T1+ 4 t calcium silicate ha–1, T5:
T1 + 2 t CaCO3 ha–1, T6: T1 + 3 t CaCO3 ha–1, and T7: T1 + 4 t CaCO3 ha–1) and
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International Rice Research Notes (0117-4185)
Socioeconomics
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International Rice Research Notes (0117-4185)
Socioeconomics
Effect of calcium silicate as a source of Si on grain and straw yield (kg ha–1) of rice.
Treatment Coastal zone Hilly zone
Mangalore Mudigere Ponnampet
Grain Straw Grain Straw Grain Straw
T1: Control 4,146.7 6,259.8 5,783.2 8,158.0 4,102.3 6,800.7
T2: Calcium silicate @
2 t ha–1 4,955.3 7,121.2 6,232.6 7,777.8 4,756.6 7,460.3
T3: Calcium silicate @
3 t ha–1 5,132.4 7,389.0 6,647.5 8,037.0 5,049.4 8,606.7
T4: Calcium silicate @
4 t ha–1 5,502.6 7,006.1 6,571.4 8,019.8 5,661.4 8,701.9
T5: CaCO3 @ 2 t ha–1 4,405.6 6,172.8 5,862.7 7,950.6 4,148.2 7,072.3
–1
T6: CaCO3 @ 3 t ha 4,637.0 6,568.5 5,752.1 6,879.0 4,137.6 7,407.4
–1
T7: CaCO3 @ 4 t ha 4,488.0 6,599.3 5,817.8 7,829.6 4,268.1 7,569.6
SEM± 136.0 901.1 179.1 514.5 164.5 231.9
LSD (P = 0.05%) 419.1 2712.3 551.9 1585.4 506.9 714.7
References
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Epstein E. 1999. Silicon. Annu. Rev. Plant Physiol. Plant Mol. Biol. 50:641-644.
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