Effect of Potassium Silicate on Seed Yield and Fatty Acid Composition of Rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) Genotypes Under Different Irrigation Regimes

• Published in: SILICON 2022-11, Vol.14 (17), p.11927-11938
• Main Authors: Shirani Rad, Amir Hosein, Eyni-Nargeseh, Hamed, Shiranirad, Saba, Heidarzadeh, Ali
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Drought; Environmental Chemistry; Inorganic Chemistry; Irrigation; Lasers; Materials Science; Optical Devices; Optics; Original Paper; Photonics; Polymer Sciences; Potassium; Potassium silicates; Rapeseed; Seeds; Water use
• ISSN: 1876-990X; 1876-9918
• DOI: 10.1007/s12633-022-01915-0

Abiotic stresses such as water deficit conditions reduce crop performance. Potassium silicate can alleviate adverse effects of water deficit stress on crops and improve the quality as well as quantity yields. A field experiment (2018-19 and 2019-20) was arranged as a factorial split-plot in a randomized complete blocks design with three replications to investigate the response of rapeseed genotypes to potassium silicate under well-watered and drought stress conditions. Main plots included (i) two regimes of well-watered and withholding irrigation from silique setting and (ii) potassium silicate at two levels of non-application and potassium silicate foliar application (3 g L − 1 ). Sub-plots contained 7 Iranian genotypes of WRL-95-29, WRL-95-31, WRL-95-32, WRL-95-35, WRL95-36, Nima, and Nilufar. Drought stress reduced seed yield and water use efficiency (WUE) by 43 and 24%, respectively. By contrast, significant increases were detected in the seed yield and WUE by 11 and 12%, respectively when the potassium silicate was applied. A higher oil content was observed when the rapeseed plants were fully irrigated (up to 7%) than drought stress. An increase of 3% was detected for oil content in the potassium silicate treatment compared with the control treatment. The application of potassium silicate boosted the content of oleic and linoleic acids and reduced the content of erucic acid and glucosinolate in both irrigation regimes, with better oil quality obtained in these conditions. Overall, the application of potassium silicate as a management practice can improve agronomic traits, WUE, and oil quality of rapeseed genotypes in drought-prone environments.