Silicon in production and sanitary quality of tomato plant

Abstract

Silicon (Si) is a beneficial element that has been studied in various plants, seeking to improve the nutritional quality and health, in order to more sustainable agriculture. The present study was conducted to evaluate the efficiency of potassium silicate application combined or not with phytosanitary treatments, in the production and health quality of tomato. The experimental design was randomized blocks with six treatments, four replications and 12 plants per plot. The treatments were: control (T1), phytosanitary treatment (T2), 1.0 kg ha^-1 Si (T3), 1.0 kg ha^-1 Si and phytosanitary treatments (T4), 2.0 kg ha^-1 Si (T5) and 2.0 kg ha^-1 Si and phytosanitary treatments (T6). From 30 days after transplant, the visual plant health was performed fortnightly. Ten days before the first harvest, was recorded fruit set, considering only the first bunch of four central plants of each plot. At harvest time, counted the commercial fruits harvested, the fruit attacked per worm and the fruits damaged by scalding, in the of four central plants of each plot. Also gauged it fresh weight of these same fruits and productivity. The Si had little effect on increasing the production and quality of tomato plant, when applied alone. Despite the lower results in treatments containing only Si, the data indicate the possibility of their use in organic production or assist in treatments with fungicides and insecticide in conventional tillage system. However, further studies should be performed specifically in relation to other forms of application.