Purpose: Silicon (Si) acts to reduce biotic and abiotic stresses in plants. Herein, we aimed to assess the impact of an amorphous silica-based fertilizer (ASF) applied to soil on the yield, mineral nutrition, chlorophyll uorescence, and postharvest quality of two cultivars of table grapes grown in a semiarid climate.Methods: The cultivars Arra 15 and BRS Vitoria were submitted to the treatments control, 175 or 350 kg ha -1 ASF.Leaf and fruit samples were collected and analyzed for Si, nutrients, and postharvest quality characteristics. Photosynthetic e ciency was assessed by measuring chlorophyll a uorescence .Results: Both cultivars showed signi cant responses to Si with the ASF rates of 175 and 350 kg ha -1 . The characteristics improved through ASF application compared to the control were: fruit production (6 -22 %), bunch weight (11 %), number of berries (20 -34 %), berry crunchiness (20 %), the content of total soluble solids (13 -20 %), the titratable acidity (13 %), the accumulation of macro and micronutrients (12 -45 %) and the photosynthetic e ciency (5 -33 %).Conclusions: Soil-applied Si increases the yield and quality of grapes by improving the plant response to abiotic stresses, being such effects more signi cant in the dry season.
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