Effect of silicate fertilizers on wheat and soil properties in Southeastern Buenos Aires province, Argentina. A preliminary study

FRAYSSINET, CELIA; OSTERRIETH, L. MARGARITA; BORRELLI, L. NATALIA; FERNÁNDEZ HONAINE, MARIANA; CIARLO, ESTEBAN; HEILAND, PATRICIO

SOIL & TILLAGE RESEARCH

ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV

Año: 2019 vol. 195

0167-1987

Silicon is a major component in soils and is essential for the development of certain crops that produce silicophytoliths.Although there are studies about the effect of silicate fertilizers, there is no research in soils of thePampean Plains of Argentina. Therefore, the aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of two different sourcesof silicate fertilizers on plant and soil available silicon content and its role in the physical and chemical propertiesof agricultural soils under a wheat crop in southeastern Buenos Aires province. Field tests were carried outwith the application of liquid and powder silicate fertilizers. Si content was analyzed in plant material.Morphological, physical and chemical properties were determined on surface soil samples. The Si content onwheat has doubled throughout the trial. The contribution of Si to the soil solution would be similar with bothsilicate fertilizers and the available phosphorus content showed a negative relationship with the available Sicontent. Such fertilization slightly influenced the structural stability and granulometry of soils. Although thiswork shows the first results about the effect of silicate fertilizers in agroecosystems of Argentina, it is necessaryto deepen the knowledge about their effect on plant and soil quality.