Sugarcane with Si fertilization under water deficit: effects in plant nutrition and biomass yield

• Grant number: 20/00038-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: March 01, 2020
• End date: February 28, 2021
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Agronomy - Soil Science
• Principal Investigator: Mônica Sartori de Camargo
• Grantee: Gustavo Jonas Baltieri
• Host Institution: APTA Regional. Agência Paulista de Tecnologia dos Agronegócios (APTA). Campinas , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Silicon (Si) fertilization has shown positive effects against water drought, decreasingthe damages, but it is still scarce information in sugarcane crop, which is a Si-accumulating plant of this beneficial element. So, the objectives of this study will be evaluate the presence or absence of Si fertilization regarding gases exchange in plants and Si and nutrients uptake by above-ground biomass and root system in sugarcane grown under water deficit. Experiment will be conducted in randomized blocks withoutand with Si (0 and 1000 kg ha-1 Si), 2 cultivars (drought tolerant: RB86-7515; drought susceptible: RB85-5536), without and with moderated water deficit (100 and 55% soilhumidity field, respectively), and 10 replications. Water deficit will be imposed in 5months-old plants. It will be evaluated height of plants, number of green and dry leaves,SPAD index, leaf area and gases exchange in five evaluations during the water deficit period. At harvest, it will be assessed biometric parameters (height of plants, number of green and dry leaves), physiological parameters (chorophill a e b, water relative content,leaf water potential, electrolyte leakage), gases exchange, above-ground biomass and root system biomass, concentration and accumulation of Si and nutrients and water use efficiency (water applied /plant biomass).