Phosphorus Makes Silicon Fertilization Mandatory: Effect of Nano-Silicon on the One-Sided Antagonisms of Phosphorus Fertilization in Wheat-Maize and Maize-Maize Cropping System

PurposeSilicon (Si) improves phosphorus (P) utilization in plants. With this effect of Si, less P fertilizer can be used and reducing the negative impact of P fertilizers on other elements such as Si and Zn.MethodsTo determine Nano-silicon (Nano-Si) and P interactions, two independent experiments were conducted. Wheat and then maize were grown in the first experiment, and maize and then maize again in the second. The functional and structural properties of Nano-Si were determined using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) after it was synthesized from rice husk.ResultsPlant dry weights significantly increased as P dose increased in the both experiments; this increase is more pronounced with Nano-Si, particularly in the low P treatment. The P concentration of the wheat plants increased, which was the first plant in the wheat-maize experiment due to the P fertilization. However, the P concentration of the plants dependent on P fertilization was reduced in the second plant of this experiment, maize, and in both maize plants in the maize-maize experiment. The Nano-Si treatment is very effective in increasing the P concentration of the plants. Plant Si concentrations decreased with the increased P supply, whereas Si treatments increased plant Si concentrations. Both Si sources increased the plant-available Si concentrations of the soils. The antagonistic effect of P on Zn was reduced by Nano-Si.ConclusionThis study shows that Nano-Si has significant potential as an alternative and environmentally friendly Si fertilizer source, and it is very effective on reducing P fertilizer input.