Growth and nutrition of Passiflora edulis submitted to saline stress after silicon application.

Abstract

We carried out greenhouse experiment to evaluate the effect of silicon (Si) on growth and mineral nutrition of yellow passion fruit (Passiflora edulis) submitted to saline stress in a nutritive solution. The experiment comprised a completely randomized design in a 5x4 factorial scheme: five NaCl concentrations (0; 7.5; 15; 30 and 60 mmol L-1) and four SiO2 concentrations (0; 0.5; 1.0 and 1.5 mmol L-1) with four replicates. At the end of 35 days, we measured stem diameter, leaves, stem, and roots dry matter, as well as the macronutrient, Na, Cl, and Si leaf accumulation in plants. In most cases, the increase in NaCl supply in a nutritive solution reduced the dry matter of roots, stem, and leaves. The SiO2 supply attenuated the effect on higher tested saline stress (30 and 60 mmol L-1 NaCl) on roots and stem dry matter. The application of 0.5 mmol L-1 of SiO2 reduced the deleterious effect of salinity on all macronutrients absorption in yellow passion fruit cultivated in a nutritive solution.