POTASSIUM SILICATE AGAINST WATER STRESS IN SWEET CORN PLANT GROWTH AND YIELD TRAITS

Abstract

The present study was carried out to observe if potassium silicate corn plant, under the action of foliar spraying, in sweet corn plants (Tropical Plus® hybrid), is capable of conferring resistance to this plant against the effects of water heat. A randomized block design consisting of four soil water doses (15, 30, 45 and 60 kPa) and four potassium silicon doses (0, 6, 12 and 24 L ha-1) was adopted. Parameters of growth, yield and sweet corn yield were evaluated. Additionally, the silicon content in the grains, leaf, straw, cob and stem of the plants was quantified. The mean matric potential of -15 kPa confirmed that soil water stresses provide a water stress condition for a sweet corn plant during the experiment. The study hypothesis was partially confirmed because the plants sprayed with potassium silicate and under high water tensions had smaller decline in the growth parameters compared to those without potassium silicate spraying. However, most of evaluated yield and production parameters were not influenced by the evaluated factors alone or under interaction. Arguments to consider that this result may have been influenced by an indirect action of the silicon presence are presented. The sweet corn plant productivity was affected by the soil water tension of 60 kPa. Results indicate that silicon was able to amortize the water deficit impact on sweet corn plants in a direct and probably indirect way.