Sugarcane grown with Si fertilization: effects of rates and cultivars

• Grant number: 18/17974-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: November 01, 2018
• End date: October 31, 2019
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Agronomy - Soil Science
• Principal Investigator: Mônica Sartori de Camargo
• Grantee: Natália Ganzaroli Bozza
• Host Institution: APTA Regional. Agência Paulista de Tecnologia dos Agronegócios (APTA). Secretaria de Agricultura e Abastecimento (São Paulo - Estado). Campinas , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Silicon (Si) is a beneficial element to plants, and it is uptake in high quantities by sugarcane. However, it is not yet well known if there is a limit on its absorption for drought tolerant and drought sensitive sugarcane cultivar. The objectives of this study will be the evaluation of increasing Si rates for two contrasting drought tolerance sugarcane cultivars on soluble Si and chemical characteristics of soil and variable biometric, physiological, biomass yield and uptake of nutrients and Si. It will be conducted an experiment in randomized blocks with Si rates (0, 250, 500, 750, 1000 kg ha-1 Si) and sugarcane cultivars (drought tolerant: RB86-7515; drought sensitive: RB85-5536) and 08 replications. At harvest (6 months), it will be taken biometric (height, number of green and total leaves) and physiological evaluations (chlorophyl a and b, relative water content, leaf water potential, electrolyte leakage), the above-ground part and root system biomass, concentration and uptake of and nutrients, and water use efficiency (applied water/biomass).