Silicon and boron mitigate the effects of water deficit on sunflower

• Main Authors: Jose M. G. Neves, Leonardo A. de Aquino, Paulo G. Berger, Júlio C. L. Neves, Genelício C. Rocha, Edimilson A. Barbosa
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Universidade Federal de Campina Grande
• Series: Revista Brasileira de Engenharia Agrícola e Ambiental - Agriambi
• Subjects: Helianthus annuus; fluorescência da clorofila; trocas gasosas; potencial hídrico foliar
• Online Access: http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1415-43662019000300175&lng=en&tlng=en

ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of Ca and Mg silicate and B on the gas exchange, leaf water potential and chlorophyll fluorescence parameters in the sunflower variety Embrapa 122 -V2000 under water stress conditions. The trial was conducted in Red Yellow Latosol with very clayey texture, with contrasting levels of Si and B and subjected to water deficit. The experimental design was randomized blocks in a 24 factorial arrangement, with five replicates. Treatments consisted of the combination of two acidity corrective agents (calcium magnesium silicate and dolomitic limestone), two levels of base saturation (30 and 70%), two levels of B (0.18 mg dm-3 - value available in the soil and 1.20 mg dm-3) and two water regimes (with and without water stress from the beginning of flowering). It can be concluded that the supply of Si and B can reduce the damage to sunflower caused by water stress.