Assessment of the silicon compounds effect on disease resistance and productivity of spring barley with a decrease in pesticide load in the south of Russia

Abstract

In a small-plot field experiment, the effect of different forms of silicon compounds (tetraethoxysilane (TES) and sodium silicate) and processing methods (seeds and plants) on disease incidence and productivity of spring barley varieties was studied and the effect of diseases on productivity was evaluated. It was found that the use of silicon-containing compounds separately and in a mixture with a reduced consumption rate of fungicide led to a decrease in the infestation of barley with root rot and leaf spots. The lowest degree of disease development was observed when using a fungicide and mixtures of TES and sodium silicate with a reduced consumption rate of fungicide. The maximum yield increases were obtained by combining two types of treatment with silicon - seeds and plants. When processing seeds, the use of sodium silicate was more effective. The relationship between the development of diseases and the productivity of spring barley, primarily grain biomass, is estimated in most cases as strong and medium.