Influence of silicon application on the growth of corn under conditions of water stress

The low availability of water in the soil is one of the precursors of stress in the plant, responsible for the decrease in growth and losses in crop productivity, by hindering the maintenance of essential metabolic processes. Many experimental results have demonstrated the effect of silicon (Si) as an attenuator of environmental stresses in plants. Thus, the objective of this research was to evaluate the growth of the corn crop subjected to water stress and the application of silicon in the semi-arid region of Alagoas. The experimental design used was in strips with four replications, schematized in subdivided plots. The culture was subjected to a combination of five water stress conditions (1, 4, 7, 10 and 13 days of intervals of irrigation) and two conditions of availability of Si (with and without Si). The following plant variables were analyzed: canopy height, stem diameter and leaf area index. It was found that the longer the irrigation interval, the lower the growth of plants. The application of Si provided higher rates of leaf area. The use of Si in plant fertilization in water deficit conditions is a viable alternative.