Effect of foliar-applied potassium silicate on growth, yield, fruit quality and antioxidant activity of tomato plants grown under deficit irrigation

Abstract

When water is scarce, it is highly important to provide plants with water at critical stages to improve yield with high water use efficiency (WUE). Transpiration reduction is an effective and necessary procedure for conserving irrigation water while ensuring plant survival and protecting foliage from drought damage, and thus increasing water productivity. Foliar application of growth stimulators is one of the most important ways for lowering transpiration rates and reducing the negative effects of drought stress. The effects of foliar potassium silicate application as a growth stimulator, as well as water-sprayed plants, on growth, some physiological parameters, yield components, and water use efficiency of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) cultivar "Elisa" grown during summer season under three irrigation levels (100, 75 or 50% ETc, of the estimated crop evapotranspiration) were investigated. The field experiment was conducted during 2019 and 2020 seasons at the Experimental Farm of Vegetable Crops Department, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Cairo. Giza Governorate, Egypt.