INFLUENCE OF NANO–SILICA ON WHEAT PLANTS GROWN IN SALT–AFFECTED SOIL

Abstract

A pot experiment was carried out at the Faculty of Technology and Development greenhouse farm in the winter agricultural season 2018-2019. The experiment was planned to study the role of nano-SiO 2 on improving the wheat growth and productivity under salinity conditions. Six treatments (two grades of water quality are: tap water and saline water; three additional methods for silica nanoparticles are; 0, Si-soil, foliar) in three replicates. The soil was fertilized by nano-SiO 2 before sowing at a rate of 80 mg kg-1 and NPK recommended was added uniformly for all treatments. Wheat plants were sprayed five times by nano-silica after the month of sowing every ten days by 600 mg Si L-1 (10 mL pot-1). The wheat plant was irrigated with tap water (0.4 dS m-1) and saline-water (8 dS m-1). The nano-SiO 2 was analyzed by some analysis as Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR), the scanning electron Microscopy Coupled with Energy Dispersive X-Ray analysis (SEM-EDAX), the Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), particle size, Specific Surface Area (SSA), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), X-Ray Diffractometer (XRD). The obtained results indicated a significant clear increase in wheat yield under salinity stress conditions compared with the check treatment. Nano-silica use led to the improvement of nutrients absorption e.g., N, P, K and Si contents under salinity stress conditions. In contrast, Na was reduced with Si increasing in plant tissues. Conclusively, nano-SiO 2 improves wheat plants on the growth and tolerance of salt stress up to 80 mg Kg-1 for soil addition and 600 mg L-1 for foliar spray.