Effects of Nano Silicon on Growth and Physiological Properties in Deficit Irrigated Pepper (Capsicum Annuum L.)

Abstract

Pollution and reduction of water resources have led to the production of different alternative searches in agriculture where water is consumed the most. The deficit irrigation approach, in which less water is supplied to the plants, has been accepted as a prominent practice. However, growth and so yield significantly reduced in deficit irrigation approach compared to full irrigation, constitute an important problem. Therefore, there is a need for practical actions to improve the reduced growth in the deficit irrigation approach. Nano silicon, which is produced as a result of nanotechnologies that have emerged in recent years, is mentioned as a nano fertilizer that improves growth and physiology by protecting the plant from biotic and abiotic stress factors. Thus, in this study, the effects of nano silicon applications (0 ppm, 50 ppm, and 100 ppm) on the soil of pepper plants (Capsicum annuum L.) growing in different irrigation levels (100%: full irrigation, 75%: deficit irrigation at 25% of full irrigation, and 50%: deficit irrigation at 50% of full irrigation) on the properties of the plant were investigated. While many properties of pepper (number of leaves and fruits, plant height, stem diameter, plant fresh weight, chlorophyll content, leaf relative water content, and electrolyte leakage) which decreased by increasing drought, nano silicon applications influenced positively the number of leaves, plant height, plant fresh weight and chlorophyll content. According to these results, a 100 ppm dose of nano silicon was found to be effective in improving some properties of plants in pepper cultivation at the decreasing irrigation water level, but investigating the effectiveness of nano silicon applications at different rates and continuing field studies on this subject were found to be advisable in the results of this study.