EFFECT OF SILICON BASED

FERTILIZER ON THE GROWTH AND

YIELD OF RICE UNDER THE
TROPICAL ZONE OF VIETNAM
By
Tran Xuan Cuong

Examination committee: Dr. Avishek Datta (Chairperson)

Dr. Abha Mishra (Member)
Dr. Anil Kumar Anal (Member)

Outline
Introduction
Literature review
Methodology

INTRODUCTION

Background

A nonmetallic chemical
element in the carbon
family of elements.

Second most abundant

element in the earth's
crust

Symbol: Si

Atomic number: 14

Melting point: 1,414 C

Boiling point: 2,357 C

Silicon crystallizes in a
diamond cubic crystal

Background (continued)

Silicon

in

earths

crust

always exists in the form of

silicates

and

aluminosilicates

In soil solution, Silicon is

mostly exist in the form of
silicic

acid,

such

as

metasilicic acid (H2SiO3)

Silicon is deemed as a
fundamental nutrient for a
5

Background (continued)

In plants, silicon is present

mostly as silicon dioxide
(SiO2)

In

greater

or

lesser

quantities, most plant has

to absorb silicon

Silicon
vital

is

considered

element

Equisetaceae

for
family

as
the
in

vascular plants

In addition, absorption of

Problem statement

Si is not considered as a beneficial element for most plant.

However, it has been proven that Si has beneficial effects in
a variety of plant species, especially beneficial to grasses
like rice (Oryza sativa L)

In order to increasing the yield of rice production, the

farmers have to use many different techniques including
the utilization of pesticides and chemical fertilizer

In case of chemical fertilizer, the farmer only pays attention

to the using of N P K fertilizer. Vietnamese farmers also
follow the same trend. The role of another fertilizer like Si
based fertilizer is mostly overlooked in rice farming in

Problem statement
(Continued)
The

ubiquity

of

pesticides

rice

farming

result

in

the

contamination of natural environment, causing illness for

human.
Using pesticides can increase the resistance of the insects
and diseases, making it more difficult to eradicate.

Other disadvantages could be the destroying the balance of

nature in the field by killing the predators of the insects

Due to limitation about knowledge and capital, Silicon based

fertilizer only used in some developed countries as Japan or
USA
8

Rationale of study

Rice, a global staple food, is one of the three leading cereal

crops in the world, along with wheat and maize. Increasing
the yield and quality is one of the most important concerns
in rice farming.

This research is necessary as its attempts is to find out the

effect of Si based fertilizer on rice

in the context of

tropical area in Vietnam.

The research assess the effects of Si based fertilizer in

supporting rice plant to cope with diseases without using
pesticides in order to protect environment

Moreover, the efficiency in using of Si based fertilizer that9

Objective
i. To assess the effect of Si based fertilizer and finding the
most suitable level of Silicon based fertilizer on the growth
and yield of rice
ii. To evaluate the effectiveness of Si - based fertilizer in
reducing disease incidence
iii. To assess the efficiencies of using fertilizer including Silicon
based fertilizer

10

Scope and limitation

The research will assess the effect of Si based fertilizer on the
growth and yield and its components of rice
The research will evaluate effectiveness of Si - based fertilizer in
supporting rice plant to cope with the diseases
The fertilizer - use efficiencies including Silicon based fertilizer,
Urea, Muriate of Potash, Superphosphate will be assessed
Only rice will be used as an experimental crop
Pesticides will not be used in order to evaluate the effect of Si based fertilizer in supporting rice plant to cope with the
diseases
11

LITERATURE
REVIEW
12

The beneficial effect of Si

based fertilizer on rice yield

Japanese farmers already used silicon based fertilize in

order to enhance and sustain the average rice yields up to
6t/ha from 1955.

Silicate slag application at an optimum rate of 1.5-3.0 t ha

is now widely used in degraded paddy fields in Japan

Results is very promising

Yield increases 10%. Moreover, when the leaf blast diseases

are serious, the increase of rice yield could exceed 30%.
The percentage of perfect grain in brown rice and in milled
rice

hull

increased

by

7.5%

and

3.5%

comparing with NPK application (without Si)

respectively,
13

The beneficial effect of Si based

fertilizer on rice yield (continued)

In China,
pivotal

Rice plays a
role

system,

in

crops

However

deficiency of available Si in
paddy soil is approximate 5
to

million

hectares,

compared with the total

area of rice cultivation is
30 million hectares

Application of a Si fertilizer
- sodium silicate (Na2SiO3)

14

The beneficial effect of Si based

fertilizer on rice yield (continued)

Effect of silicate fertilizer application on rice growth and

yield in Jiangsu province - China

Application Number of Percentage

rate

spikelet

(kg/ha)

per

of ripening

Weight

Yield

of 1000

(t/ha)

grain (g)

panicle
0

74.7

85.9

22.9

7.01

75

73.9

90.9

23.7

7.87

105

74.8

91.4

23.8

8.16

135

76.8

91.5

25.5

8.23

Source: Takahashi et al., 1990

15

The beneficial effect of Si based

fertilizer on rice yield (continued)

In Brazil, upland rice occupies

approximately 70% of the total
rice area in Brazil

Upland rice is cultivated

extensive

areas

savannas where
soils

are

in

in
the

predominant

Oxisols,

which

available Si is low.

Field

experiment

regions
application

in

indicated
of

these
that

wollastonite

16

The beneficial effect of Si based

fertilizer on rice yield (continued)

In Colombia, a similar response to Si fertilization was also

reported in two cultivars of upland rice at Santa Rosa
Province
0

Si application rate (t/ha)

Oryzica 1
1992
1993 (residual 1992)
1993 (residual 1992 + 1 t/ha
Si)
Oryzica Llanos 5
1992
1993 (Residual 1992)
1993 (Residual 1992 + 1 t/ha

Yield (t/ha)
1
2

2.1
2.7
4.0

3.2
3.6
4.1

3.6
3.7
3.9

3.7
3.8
4.2

5.1
4.6
4.7

5.0
4.6
4.6

4.1
2.3
4.7

Si)

Source: Correa-Victoria et al., 2001

4.5
2.2
4.7

17

The beneficial effect of Si based

fertilizer on rice yield (continued)

In Thai Nguyen Province Vietnam , a study about effects of

application of silica fertilizer on rice cultivation in Glaysol soils
was conducted

The results are very promising

Rice grew better when applying silica fertilizers

Tillering of rice plant increased
Seed weight and crop yields in the silica fertilizer treament
plots were
significantly higher, compared to that of the control plots.
18

The beneficial effect of Si based

fertilizer on preventing disease

Rice blast and brown spot

is the most serious threats
to rice

Blast

is

caused

fungus

by

the

Magnaporthe

grisea. It can affect all

above ground parts of a
rice
node,

plant:

leaf,

collar,

neck,

and

sometimes leaf sheath.

Brown spot is a fungal

19

The beneficial effect of Si

based fertilizer on preventing
disease (continued)
90

Brown spot severity (%)

80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0

Control

Silicon (S)

Propiconizole (P)

S+P

Effect of silicon (2 t slag/ha) and propiconizole (0.44 L/ha) on

brown spot severity in rice farming in Florida USA . Brown spot
severity based on a scale of 0-9, where 0=no disease and
9=76%
more et
of al.,
leaf1997
area affected
Source: or
Datnoff

20

The beneficial effect of Si

based fertilizer on preventing
diseaseTreatment
(continued)
80

Blast incidence (%)

70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0

Control

Silicon (S)

Benomyl (B)

S+B

Influence of silicon fertilization (2 tons slag/ha) and foliar spray

of benomyl (1.68 kg/ha) on blast incidence in rice farming in
Florida - USA
Source: Datnoff et al., 1997

21

METHODOLOGY

22

Research flowchart

23

Experimental site
characteristic

-The study will be conducted at Hong Duc University research

farm, Thanh Hoa Province , Vietnam

The study site is categorized as middle part of Vietnam and it

has four seasons

Monthly mean temperature is above 18C

The total rainfall in the months that rice is cultivated is 1250

mm

The field experiment will be conducted from June 2015 to

October 2016, which is summer season in Vietnam. The
experimental site is used annually for crop production
24

Experimental design

The experimental layout was based on a Randomized

Complete Block Design (RCBD) with, 6 treatments and 4
replications.

The total area is 500 m2.

There will be a total of 24 plots. The area of each plot is 20

m2 (5 m 4 m).

Each plot will be fenced by plastic net. Plastic net will be

buried in soil with 30 cm depth; the distance from the soil
surface to the highest point of plastic net is 20 cm.
25

Experimental layout
Replication 1 Replication 2 Replication 3 Replication 4
Treatment 3

Treatment 6

Treatment 1

Treatment 5

Treatment 5

Treatment 2

Treatment 4

Treatment 6

Treatment 1

Treatment 3

Treatment 6

Treatment 7

Treatment 4

Treatment 5

Treatment 3

Treatment 1

Treatment 2

Treatment 1

Treatment 5

Treatment 4

Treatment 6

Treatment 4

Treatment 2

Treatment 3
26

Materials

Rice variety BC15 - short term maturing variety of rice,

the growth period of about 110 115 days

The Si - based fertilizer (60% SiO2) . The pH is about 4.2

4.8; moisture is less than 5%

Nitrogen fertilizer: Urea (46% N)

Phosphorus fertilizer: Super phosphate (16% P2O5)

Potassium fertilizer: Muriate of potash (60% K2O)

27

Experimental Application
The detailed about fertilizer used in each treatment is
described as below:

Treatment 1: Non fertilizer (control)

Treatment

2:

110N+

90

P2O5

80

K2O

kg/ha

(recommended rate of fertilizer)

Treatment 3: 110N+ 90 P2O5 + 80 K2O + 100SiO2 kg/ha

Treatment 4: 110N+ 90 P2O5 + 80 K2O + 200SiO2 kg/ha

Treatment 5: 110N+ 90 P2O5 + 80 K2O + 300SiO2 kg/ha

Treatment 6: 110N+ 90 P2O5 + 80 K2O + 400SiO2 kg/ha

28

Experimental Application
(continued)

The application rate of N P K fertilizer applied in this

experiment

is

decided

based

on

National

Technical

Regulation on Testing for Value of Cultivation and Use of

Rice varieties of Vietnam. The recommended rate is: 110N+
90P2O5 + 80K2O kg/ha

The application rate of Si fertilizer is randomly taken in

order to find out the most suitable level for rice

All kinds of fertilizers used in these experiments are

produced by Tien Nong Industrial & Agricultural Join Stock
Company
29

Farming method

The time to grow seedlings is from 25/6/2015 to 20/7/2015.

Seedlings are transplanted at the 2 leaf-stage, usually
between 8 and12 days old.

The density of plant: 38 42 hills /m2, 2 3 seedlings/hill

Irrigation: From the time of seedlings transplanted to the

end of the phase of tillering, the level of water in the paddy
field is maintained from 3 5cm. After this phase, the level
of water in the paddy is maintained less than 10cm

Preventing of diseases and pest: There will be no chemical

pesticides use in order to evaluate the effectiveness of Si
based fertilizer in reducing disease incidence

30

Data collection
Soil
Plant nutrient content
Diseases
Growth, yield and yield
component criteria

31

Soil Analysis

Surface soil (0 20 cm) analysis for physical and chemical

properties of each experimental plot will be done to find out
the soil physical and chemical properties before seedlings
transplanting.

Only one sample of soil is randomly taken. The soil sample

will be oven-dried, ground and sieved with 2 mm sieve
mesh and analyzed for its physical and chemical properties.

Soil analysis criteria: pH, organic carbon, total nitrogen,

total silicon, available phosphorus, exchange potassium,
cation exchange capacity
32

Plant nutrient content

analysis

After harvesting, in each treatment plot, 6 hills of rice will

be randomly selected for plant nutrient content analysis
purpose.

There will be total 6 samples due to 6 treatments.

The root will be removed, only aboveground part will

become the subjects for analysis purpose.

Analysis criteria: Silicon

33

Disease Analysis

In each experimental plot, 10 hills (both healthy and

infected) will be randomly selected and tagged for each
sample. In total, 24 samples represent will be selected due
to 24 experimental plots

The time for investigation for each kind of disease is

different. The time will be selected according to the growth
stage of rice described in Standard Evaluation for Rice
(SES) - International Rice Research Institute

The plant sample will be analyzed and classified into the

scale 0, 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 following the procedure of Standard
34

Disease Analysis
(continued)

Some

common diseases in rice including: leaf blast, panicle

blast, sheath blight will be under surveillance

The disease index and disease severity will be calculated using

the following formulae described in Standard Evaluation for Rice
(SES) - International Rice Research Institute

Disease index
Disease severity =

35

Growth, yield and yield

component criteria
A total of 3 hills in each plot will be randomly selected and

tagged for measuring plant height (cm), tillers/m 2, panicle/m2,

panicle height(cm), filled grains/panicle, unfilled grain/panicle.
An area of 2 m2 of each plots were harvested and dried for two
days and the straw yield will be recorded. Grain weight will be
adjusted to 14% moisture content and will be used as estimates
of grain yield (kg/ha). 1000-grain weight will be also recorded
from plant samples. The haverst index also will be calculted for
each experimental plot by using the following formula

Haverst index
36

Fertilizer - use efficiency

(continued)

The Recovery efficiency and Agrononomic efficiency of

Silicon - based fertilizer will be calculated for each
treatments in order to determined the effective of using
fertilizer.

The resulst from plant nutrient content analysis after

haversting will be used in order to compute the Recovery
efficiency.

The results form the yield and yield component criteria data
collection will be used in order to compute the Agrononomic
efficiency.

The method for calculation described in the Rice: 37

A

Fertilizer - use efficiency

efficiency is determined by the difference in the

Recovery

total amount of nutrient measured in aboveground biomass

at physiological maturity between replicated plots that
receive fertilizer and control plots without applied fertilizer

RE(%) =

Agronomic efficiency is determined by the difference in

grain yield between replicated plots that receive fertilizer
and control plots without applied fertilizer

AE(kg/kg) =

38

Statistical analysis

Data will be subjected to Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) to

determine treatment effect on measured parameters.

In

order

to

compare

treatments

means,

the

Least

Significant Difference (LSD) test at the 5% level of

significance will be performed.

The statistical calculation will be conducted by software

IRRISTAT Version 5.0

39

Tentative time frame

Activities
Literature
Review
Proposal
Defense
Field
preparatio
n
Soil
analysis
Field
experimen
t
Plant
nutrient
analysis
Data
collection

Jan

Fe
b

Ma Ap Ma Jun Jul
r
r
y
e
y

Au
g

Se
No
Oct
pt
v

De
c

40

Expenses table
List of expenses

Amount of money
(Baht)

Traveling

7000

Fertilizer

2000

Transportation

1000

Facilities

4000

Analysis cost

20000

Total cost

34000
41

Thank you
!