Augmenting drought tolerance in sorghum by silicon nutrition

Ahmed, M. and Asif, M. and Hassan, F. (2013) Augmenting drought tolerance in sorghum by silicon nutrition. Acta Physiologiae Plantarum. pp. 1-11.

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Abstract

Silicon (Si) distribution and accumulation in plant organs is widely reported as beneficial to overcome biotic and abiotic stresses. The investigation on distribution of Si in plant organs under water stress conditions was studied through experiments conducted at Arid Agriculture University, Pakistan during 2007–2009. Treatments (Si200: 200 ml l−1 of potassium silicate and Si0: control or absence of silicon) were replicated thrice with two sorghum cultivars; SPV462 (drought susceptible) and Johar-1 (drought tolerant) screened using osmotic media of PEG-6000 (−4.0, −6.0, −8.0 and −10.0 MPa). The results exhibited increased leaf water potential, leaf area index, SPAD chlorophyll with increased silicon concentration in leaves and roots of drought-tolerant genotype as compared to SPV462. Johar-1 exhibited maximum values for net assimilation and relative growth rate under silicon treatment in comparison to silicon absence. Similarly, maintenance of transpiration rate, because of accumulation of silicon in leaves resulted in optimum leaf water potential and optimum growth of crop.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Silicon nutrition,Drought tolerance,Leaf water potential,Sorghum,Transpiration,Water relations
Author Affiliation:	Department of Agronomy, PMAS Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, 46000, Pakistan
Subjects:	Soil Science and Microbiology Statistics and Experimentation Crop Improvement Plant Physiology and Biochemistry > Plant Physiology
Divisions:	Sorghum
Depositing User:	Ms Ishrath Durafsha
Date Deposited:	22 Nov 2013 05:35
Last Modified:	22 Nov 2013 05:35
Official URL:	http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11738-013-1427-2
URI:	http://eprints.icrisat.ac.in/id/eprint/12126

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