Socioeconomics

Effect of calcium silicate as a silicon source on

growth and yield of rice in different acid soils of
Karnataka, southern India
N.B. Prakash, C. Narayanaswamy, and T.H. Hanumantharaju, Department of Soil Science and
Agricultural Chemistry; H.E. Shashidhar, Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, University
of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore, India; S.U. Patil, Agricultural Research Station, Mangalore,
Karnataka, India; G.N. Thippeshappa, College of Horticulture, Mudigere, India; and L.E. Datnoff,
Department of Plant Pathology, Louisiana State University, USA

Silicon (Si) plays a significant role in imparting biotic and abiotic stress resistance
and enhancing crop productivity (Ma et al 1989). It is also crucial in preventing
or minimizing lodging in cereal crops, a matter of great importance in
agricultural productivity. Silicon is the only element known that does not
damage plants with excess accumulation. Rice is a high-Si-accumulator plant and
this element has been demonstrated to be necessary for healthy growth and
stable production. For this reason, Si has been recognized as an “agronomically
essential element” in Japan, and silicate fertilizers have since then been applied
to paddy soils (Ma et al 2001). In recent years, Si has been regarded as a quasi
essential element (Epstein 1999). The depletion of plant-available Si in soils
where rice is grown could be a possible limiting factor that contributes to
declining or stagnating yields (Savant et al 1997). Information on the importance
of Si in Indian rice farming systems is rather limited (Prakash 2002). Therefore,
this study was conducted to evaluate the effects of varying levels of calcium
silicate (as a silicon source) and calcium carbonate on the growth and yield of
rice grown in different soil types in Karnataka, southern India.
Field experiments were conducted in the coastal zone soils of Mangalore
and the hilly zone soils of Mudigere and Ponnampet in Karnataka during 2006
kharif. The texture of the soils at the experimental sites was sandy loam at
Ponnampet (pH 4.6) and Mangalore (pH 4.9), and clay loam at Mudigere (pH
4.7). Calcium carbonate (commercial-grade CaCO3, 28% CaO) was applied based
on calcium oxide equivalent to that supplied by calcium silicate (Excell Minerals,
USA, 12% Si) treatments. The experiments were arranged in a randomized
complete block design with seven treatments (T1: NPK only, T2: T1 + 2 t calcium
silicate ha–1, T3: T1 + 3 t calcium silicate ha–1, T4: T1+ 4 t calcium silicate ha–1, T5:
T1 + 2 t CaCO3 ha–1, T6: T1 + 3 t CaCO3 ha–1, and T7: T1 + 4 t CaCO3 ha–1) and

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three replications. Three-week-old seedlings were planted at 20 × 10-cm spacing

in a treatment plot size of 16 m2. The recommended P (as SSP) and K (as muriate
of potash) were applied during planting, whereas calcium silicate and CaCO3
were applied 1 wk before planting. The recommended split application of N
(urea) was done for all treatments. The cultivars used in this study were
IET13901 (Mudigere and Ponnampet) and MO-4 (Mangalore). Grain and straw
yields were calculated on a per-hectare basis following standard procedures
(14% moisture content). The data were analyzed using analysis of variance (SAS
Institute 1990).
Grain yields increased significantly with the application of graded levels
of calcium silicate in all study locations (Table 1). The highest grain yield was
observed in soils treated with 4 t calcium silicate ha–1 (T4) at Ponnampet and
Mangalore. At Mudigere, the highest grain yield was noted in T3 (3 t calcium
silicate ha–1). No significant yield increases were observed with the application of
graded levels of CaCO3 and most were similar to the control (Table 1). Grain
yield increased up to 14.9% at Mudigere (3 t calcium silicate ha–1) and 38% and
32.7% at Ponnampet and Mangalore, respectively (4 t calcium silicate ha–1). An
increase in rice yield under flooded conditions was also noticed with Si
fertilization in Sri Lanka (Takijima et al 1970) and India (Singh et al 2006). Snyder
et al (1986) showed that application of calcium silicate increased rice yields in
Histosols, mainly due to the supply of plant-available Si and not of any other
nutrients. The effect of Si on decreasing disease incidence unquestionably
contributes to increased yields, but Si has also been shown to increase yield in
the absence of a disease (Datnoff et al 1992). The increase in grain yield might be
due to more efficient use of solar radiation, moisture, and nutrients since Si
makes the rice plant more erect (Rani et al 1997).

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Effect of calcium silicate as a source of Si on grain and straw yield (kg ha–1) of rice.
Treatment Coastal zone Hilly zone
Mangalore Mudigere Ponnampet
Grain Straw Grain Straw Grain Straw
T1: Control 4,146.7 6,259.8 5,783.2 8,158.0 4,102.3 6,800.7
T2: Calcium silicate @
2 t ha–1 4,955.3 7,121.2 6,232.6 7,777.8 4,756.6 7,460.3
T3: Calcium silicate @
3 t ha–1 5,132.4 7,389.0 6,647.5 8,037.0 5,049.4 8,606.7
T4: Calcium silicate @
4 t ha–1 5,502.6 7,006.1 6,571.4 8,019.8 5,661.4 8,701.9
T5: CaCO3 @ 2 t ha–1 4,405.6 6,172.8 5,862.7 7,950.6 4,148.2 7,072.3
–1
T6: CaCO3 @ 3 t ha 4,637.0 6,568.5 5,752.1 6,879.0 4,137.6 7,407.4
–1
T7: CaCO3 @ 4 t ha 4,488.0 6,599.3 5,817.8 7,829.6 4,268.1 7,569.6
SEM± 136.0 901.1 179.1 514.5 164.5 231.9
LSD (P = 0.05%) 419.1 2712.3 551.9 1585.4 506.9 714.7

Although straw yield also increased with the application of calcium

silicate at both Mangalore and Ponnampet locations, a significant increase was
observed only in Ponnampet soils. The greater dry matter production with Si
application may be due to the greater area for photosynthesis, which results in
more enhanced photosynthetic activity in comparison with CaCO3 treatments
and the control (Rani et al 1997). Agarie et al (1992) also reported that
maintenance of photosynthetic activity due to Si fertilization could be one of the
reasons for increased dry matter production.
Overall, using calcium silicate (3 and 4 t ha–1) as an Si source resulted in a
significant increase in grain yield over the control treatment (NPK only) and over
treatments that applied CaCO3 in the acid soils of Karnataka, southern India.
These studies demonstrate the importance of Si in maximizing the yield potential
of rice. Further research needs to be conducted throughout all rice-growing
regions of India.

References
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