Effect of silicon and application of potassium on Puccinellia distans grown under saline-alkali conditions
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.61326/jofbs.v5i2.03Keywords:
Puccinellia distans, Salinity, Halophytes, Silicon, AlkaliAbstract
Salinity and alkaline conditions are among the most important abiotic stress factors that limit plant growth and development, especially in arid and semi-arid areas. Indeed, approximately 30,000 hectares of plain land located in the Dumlu region of Erzurum cannot be adequately utilized due to high groundwater levels, salinity, and alkalinity. Reclaiming this type of soil is quite costly, and one of the prominent alternatives is to identify plant species and varieties that are tolerant to high soil salinity and ensure their cultivation in such areas. For this purpose, in our study, along with the halophyte plant Puccinellia distans, silicon dioxide (SiO2) and potassium nitrate (KNO3) fertilizers were used. The research was conducted in greenhouses at Atatürk University Faculty of Agriculture, using soil samples appropriately taken from four different sections of the affected region with varying salt content, according to a completely randomized experimental design. For this purpose, a total of 144 pots (4×1×4×3×3=144) were used across 4 different locations, with 1 halophyte plant Puccinellia distans, 4 different silicon (SiO2) doses (0, 1, 2, and 4 mM), 3 different potassium nitrate (KNO3) doses (0, 20, and 40 mM) with 3 replications. Plant height, number of main stems, number of leaves, fresh forage yield and dry matter yield, crude protein content and yield, and ADF and NDF contents were examined in the plants obtained at the end of the trial. As a result, a decrease in all yield and yield components was observed in plants grown under saline-alkali conditions compared to plants grown in normal soil. However, in saline-alkaline conditions, the application of silicon and potassium generally reduced the negative effects of salinity stress on the plant. The highest dry matter yield, crude protein content, and yield value were obtained from the application of 40 mM KNO3 fertilizer without the addition of silicon. Based on these results, we can say that the plant Puccinella distans is promising for the evaluation of saline-alkali areas with similar conditions, and that potassium fertilization in particular is effective in increasing its yield.
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