GUEDES, M. A.; http://lattes.cnpq.br/6413869929620711.; GUEDES, Maria Amanda.
Resumo:
The use of saline water or soils in the cultivation of vegetables can affect the
physiological and growth characteristics of plants, limiting their production in places
with low availability of fresh water, such as the semi-arid region of Northeast Brazil.
An alternative to mitigate the deleterious effects of salt stress is the use of silicate
fertilization, which increases tolerance and provides greater availability and
absorption of nutrients by the plant. Thus, this work aimed to investigate the effects
of saline levels and silicon doses on water relations, growth, photosynthetic pigments
and fruit production of okra cv. Valença. The experiment was carried out under field
conditions in the municipality of Pombal-PB. The experimental design was
randomized blocks, in a 5 × 2 factorial scheme, with five levels of electrical
conductivity of water - ECw (0.3; 1.0; 1.7; 2.4 and 3.1 dS m-1) and two doses of
silicate fertilization (100 and 200 g of silicon per plant) with four replications. Water
salinity above 0.3 dS m-1 inhibited the growth in leaf area, plant height, stem diameter
and phytomass accumulation of okra plants cv. Valencia. Water salinity up to 1.0 and
2.1 dS m-1 increased the water potential in the leaf blade and the diameter of okra
fruits, respectively. Fertilization with a dose of 100 g per plant of silicon increased the
levels of chlorophyll b, carotenoids and electrolyte leakage in okra plants cv. Valença. The interaction between the levels of electrical conductivity of water and doses of silicon influenced the levels of chlorophyll b and carotenoids and the extravasation of electrolytes in the leaf blade of okra plants cv. Valença.