Evaluation the impact of silicon nanoparticle on growth and water use efficiency of greenhouse tomato in drought stress condition

Abstract

Abstract This study focused on the effect of silicon nanoparticles (Si-Nps) use on growth and water use efficiency (WUE) of tomato in hydroponic cultivation under drought stress. Experimental treatments included full irrigation, supplying 85 and 70% of crop water requirement (I100, I85 and I70) and use of Si-Nps in three levels of 0, 50 and 100 ppm (N0, N50 and N100) which was performed in a completely randomized design with three replications. Si-Nps were applied in two ways: leaf feeding (L) and root feeding (R). Data analysis showed that different levels of irrigation, Si-Nps and the interaction effect of theirs had a significant effect on fruit weight, leaf fresh and dry weight, stem fresh weight and WUE at 1% level. Si-Nps had a significant effect on stem dry weight at 1% and fruit sugar at 5%. The interaction effect of irrigation and Si-Nps had a significant effect on stem dry weight and fruit sugar at 1%. The maximum fresh fruit weight was related to treatment I85LN100 and compared to the control treatment, it was 7.9% more. The maximum WUE was observed in I70RN50 treatment, which was 56.3% higher than control treatment. Generally, applying irrigation I70RN50 gives the best result for hydroponic tomato cultivation in greenhouse conditions.

Keywords

• Drought stress
• Irrigation
• Silicon nanoparticle
• Tomato