Acidity neutralization and silicon availability using calcium silicate in soil cultivated with wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

Abstract

Most tropical soils have acidity issues. The amount of corrective treatment needed to neutralize such acidity depends on the corrective material and the cultivated species. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate soil acidity neutralization by using calcium silicate (CaSiO3), compared to calcium carbonate (CaCO3), and the effect of increased silicon (Si) availability in soil cultivated with wheat. The treatments under analysis were: A) control (no application of corrective material); B) a calcium carbonate P.A. (CaCO3) dose of 1.5 g kg-1; C) twice this CaCO3 dose, i.e. 3.0 g kg-1; D) calcium silicate (CaSiO3), at the doses of 2.15 and 4.30 g kg-1; and E) CaSiO3 at the dose of 4.30 g kg-1 for providing the same amount of Ca observed with CaCO3 doses and also providing Si, at the doses of 0.09 and 0.18 g kg-1, respectively. The experimental design was complete randomized blocks with 5 replicates. After 30-day incubation, pH in CaCl2, Ca, hydrogen + aluminum (H + Al), and Al and Si content, cation-exchange capacity (CEC) at pH 7.0, and soil base saturation were measured. Plant height, number of stalks and grains per plant, dry mass and grain yield, and Si leaf content were also evaluated. Both CaCO3 and CaSiO3 were efficient in correcting acidity and increasing Ca content, base saturation, and CEC at pH 7.0 in soil. The application of CaSiO3 has led wheat to absorb more Si, and this provided higher grain yield and greater mass.