Silicon sources enhances growth, water relations and photosynthetic traits in bell pepper under water deficit and herbivory
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Bell pepper crops can face combined abiotic (water deficit) and biotic (herbivory) stresses during development. The use of silicon (Si) has gained importance in improving crop resistance to various stressors. Four experiments were conducted to study how the application of Si sources [silicon with potassium (KSi), silicon with phosphorus and calcium (P-CaSi), or basic silicon (BSi)] and application methods [foliar (F), drench (D), and combined (F + D)] ameliorated the effects of herbivory (Poliphagotarsonemus latus and Bemisia tabaci) and water deficit on the physiology and growth of bell pepper plants. In all experiments, the Nathalie hybrid was grown in 10 kg plastic pots filled with sandy clay loam soil. In the first experiment, plants were soil drenched with three different Si sources at three different rates (0, 5, or 10 mL·L−1). In general, Si promoted plant growth and diminished arthropod infestation when the Si application rate was increased. The second experiment showed that any Si application method (F, D, or F + D) improved bell pepper physiology and resulted in fewer individual pest arthropods. In the third and fourth experiments, water deficit regimes caused lower stomatal conductance and plant growth; however, they did not enhance pest arthropod attack in bell pepper. With respect to KSi application, plant physiology was improved under abiotic stress conditions. These findings indicate that utilizing any silicon source can serve as a supplementary method to enhance plant development and decrease the occurrence of pest arthropods in bell pepper crops, especially during periods of water scarcity.
Source: Journal of Plant Nutrition
Institution: Universidad Nacional de Colombia
Language: English
Subfield: Plant Science
Domain: Life Sciences
SDG: Zero hunger
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W4411149907