Silicon-nitrogen interaction in rice cultivated under nutrient solution

The present study aimed to evaluate the interaction effect between silicon and nitrogen in the content of chlorophyll, nitrate, ammonium and total nitrogen, dry matter production, number of tillers and number of panicles rice-plant cultivated in nutritional solution. A factorial design 5 x 2 trial installed in a completely randomized design was used being two silicon (0 and 50mg L-1) and five nitrogen (20; 50; 100; 200 and 400 mg L-1) concentrations. In the stadium of the flag leaf collar formation SPDA reading and the a and b chlorophyll contents, ammoniacal and total nitrogen determinations in plants were detemined. During the panicle complete maturity stadium, the number of tillers and panicles were evaluated and the aerial part and root dry matter contents and silicon accumulation were determined. The outcomes show that the silicon supply did not change the tillering, the dry matter production and total nitrogen contents. The silicon increased the SPAD values, the a and b chlorophyll and the root nitrate contents, and the number of panicles, especially at high nitrogen levels.