Silicon in the Growth and Mineral Composition of Tomato Seedlings (Solanum lycopersicum L.)

Resumen

Objective: To determine the effects of silicon on growth variables, dry biomass, and the mineral composition of tomato seedling leaves. Design/methodology/approach: Seeds of the indeterminate saladette tomato cultivar La Gema (Nirit Seeds LTD) were sown in polystyrene trays and maintained in a growth chamber equipped with an artificial lighting system. A completely randomized experimental design with five treatments was employed. Sodium metasilicate (Na2SiO3·9H2O) was used as the silicon source at doses of 0 (control), 1, 3, 5, and 7 mg L-1. Silicon applications were administered through irrigation. The following growth variables were evaluated: seedling height, leaf greenness, leaf area, number of leaves, root dry weight, shoot dry weight, and total dry weight. In addition, the mineral composition of the leaves was determined, including N, K, Ca, and Mg. Statistical analysis was performed using analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Fisher’s test (p ≤ 0.05) for mean comparison. Minitab v.18 software was used for all analyses. Results: Silicon application enhanced tomato seedling growth, improved seedling quality, and increased the concentrations of K, Ca, and Mg.

Findings/conclusions: Silicon at a dose of 3 mg L-1 proved effective in increasing morphological variables and improving the mineral composition of the leaves.