The effect of silicon application and type of medium on yielding and chemical composition of tomato

Fertilization of plants with silicon is particularly justified in soilless culture in which the roots of plants cannot use silicon resources in the soil. Silicon is the only element that does not harm plants when taken up in excessive amounts and its use in plant fertilization improves the yielding ability of plants and their resistance to various stress factors. The effectiveness of silicon application in growing plants is strictly dependent on both the source of this element, plant species and cultivars. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of root application of colloidal silicon as well as of three types of growing media of different silica content and varying ability to release orthosilicate monomers (rockwool, sand, straw) on yield and chemical composition of greenhouse tomato. The research was conducted in greenhouse in the period 2008–2009. Tomato was grown in an extended growth cycle (22 clusters) using a drip irrigation and fertilization system with closed nutrient solution circulation. Tomato plants fertigated with the nutrient solution enriched with silicon showed significantly higher total fruit yield (15.98 kg·plant-1) compare to plant grown in control treatments. In the studies not found significant differences in total and marketable yield as well as in mean fruit weight between plants grown in rockwool and straw mediums. The total fruit yield of tomato plants grown in sand was lower compared to rockwool-grown plants. The fruit of tomato grown in sand was shown to have more dry matter (5.52%), total sugars (2.58% FR.W.) and potassium (4.19% DW) compared to rockwool culture as well as significantly the highest amount of silicon. The leaves of tomato fertilized with the silicon-enriched nutrient solution contained more silicon as well as less manganese and zinc compared to control plants. Fertilization of plants with silicon is particularly justified in soilless culture in which the roots of plants cannot use silicon resources in the soil. Silicon is the only element that does not harm plants when taken up in excessive amounts and its use in plant fertilization improves the yielding ability of plants and their resistance to various stress factors. The effectiveness of silicon application in growing plants is strictly dependent on both the source of this element, plant species and cultivars. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of root application of colloidal silicon as well as of three types of growing media of different silica content and varying ability to release orthosilicate monomers (rockwool, sand, straw) on yield and chemical composition of greenhouse tomato. The research was conducted in greenhouse in the period 2008–2009. Tomato was grown in an extended growth cycle (22 clusters) using a drip irrigation and fertilization system with closed nutrient solution circulation. Tomato plants fertigated with the nutrient solution enriched with silicon showed significantly higher total fruit yield (15.98 kg·plant-1) compare to plant grown in control treatments. In the studies not found significant differences in total and marketable yield as well as in mean fruit weight between plants grown in rockwool and straw mediums. The total fruit yield of tomato plants grown in sand was lower compared to rockwool-grown plants. The fruit of tomato grown in sand was shown to have more dry matter (5.52%), total sugars (2.58% FR.W.) and potassium (4.19% DW) compared to rockwool culture as well as significantly the highest amount of silicon. The leaves of tomato fertilized with the silicon-enriched nutrient solution contained more silicon as well as less manganese and zinc compared to control plants.żywienie roślin krzemem jest szczególnie uzasadnione w systemie bezglebowym, w którym korzenie roślin nie mogą korzystać z zasobów tego pierwiastka znajdującego się w glebie. Krzem to jedyny pierwiastek nieszkodzący roślinom przy nadmiernym pobraniu, a jego stosowanie w żywieniu poprawia plonowanie roślin oraz ich odporność na różnorodne czynniki stresowe. Efektywność stosowania krzemu w uprawie roślin jest ściśle uzależniona zarówno od źródła tego pierwiastka, jak i od uprawianego gatunku i odmiany. Celem badań było określenie wpływu dokorzeniowego stosowania krzemu koloidalnego oraz trzech podłoży o zróżnicowanej zawartości krzemionki i różnej zdolności uwalniania monomerów ortokrzemianowych (wełna mineralna, piasek, słoma) na plonowanie i skład chemiczny pomidora szklarniowego. Badania przeprowadzono w latach 2008–2009 w szklarni. Uprawę prowadzono w cyklu wydłużonym (22 grona) z wykorzystaniem kroplowego systemu nawożenia i nawadniania z zamkniętym obiegiem pożywki. W badaniach wykazano istotnie większy plon ogólny owoców fertygowanych pożywką wzbogaconą w krzem (15,98 kg·roślina-1) w porównaniu z roślinami uprawianymi w obiektach kontrolnych. Nie stwierdzono istotnych różnic w plonie ogólnym i handlowym, jak również w średniej masie owoców z roślin uprawianych w wełnie mineralnej i w słomie. Plon ogólny pomidorów uprawianych w piasku był mniejszy w porównaniu z roślinami uprawianymi w wełnie mineralnej. W owocach pomidora uprawianego w piasku stwierdzono więcej suchej masy (5,52%), cukrów ogółem (2,58% św. m.) i potasu (4,19% s.m.) w porównaniu z wełną mineralną oraz istotnie najwięcej krzemu. Liście pomidora nawożonego pożywką wzbogaconą w krzem zawierały więcej krzemu oraz mniej manganu i cynku w porównaniu z roślinami kontrolnymi