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

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.