The effect of silicon foliar application on vegetative characteristics, yield and yield components of Safflower cultivars under limited irrigation conditions

Subject Areas : Crop Production Research

Mehdi Najafian ¹ , MohammadRahim Owji ² , Farhad Mohajeri ³ , Mohammad Madandoost ⁴

1 - Ph.D Student of Agrotechnology, Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture, Fasa Branch, Islamic Azad University, Fasa, Iran.
2 - Assistant Professor of Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture, Fasa Branch, Islamic Azad University, Fasa, Iran
3 - Associate Professor of Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture, Fasa Branch, Islamic Azad University, Fasa, Iran
4 - Associate Professor of Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture, Fasa Branch, Islamic Azad University, Fasa, Iran

Received: 2023-12-17 Accepted : 2024-03-07 Published : 2024-11-24

Keywords: Faraman, Heads diameter, Goldasht, Golmehr, 1000 seed Weight ,

Abstract :

With the aim of evaluating the vegetative growth and yield of three Iranian safflower cultivars in the hot and dry region of Fars province, during the years 2019 and 2020, a factorial split-plot experiment was conducted in randomized complete block design in three replications. The treatments include four levels of irrigation (control, interruption of irrigation at the stages of stem growth, flowering and grain formation) in the main plots, three levels of silicon foliar application (concentration of 100, 150 and 200 mg.l-1) and three varieties of safflower (Faraman, Goldasht and Golmehr) were in sub-plots. The results indicated that the experimental treatments had a significant effect on the studied characteristics. Stopping irrigation during the flowering stage led to a 23% decrease in diameter heads, 58% in number of grain and 28% in 1000 grain weight. Foliar spraying of silicon with concentrations of 150 and 200 mg.l-1 increased the studied characteristics compared to the concentration of 100 mg.l-1. In general, cutting irrigation in the stem stage led to a decrease in the vegetative characteristics of the cultivars and water stress in the stages of reproductive growth, especially flowering, led to a decrease in yield. Also, silicon foliar application in a concentration between 150 and 200 mg.l-1 is sufficient to increase the yield of cultivars in the region and also to reduce economic and environmental costs. Among the varieties, Faraman and Goldasht were the best varieties.