The effect of silicon-containing preparations on yield and grain quality of maize (Zea mays L.) on a leached Chernozem (black soil)

Interest in silicon-containing preparations is related to the possibility of their use as an environmentally friendly alternative to pesticides, as well as for increasing the natural resistance of plants to biotic and abiotic stresses. Studies to identify the most promising silicon-containing preparation (Kelik Potassium-Silicon - 1.5 l/ha; Nano Kremniy - 150 g/ha; Microvit-6 Silicon, - 0.5 l/ha) and application periods (5 leaves; 7–8 leaves; 5 leaves + 7–8 leaves), were conducted in 2018–2020 under unstable moisture conditions of forest-steppe part of the Volga region (Penza Region, Russia). Foliar treatment with silica promoted an increase in cob grain content by 14.8–27.1%. The foliar treatment with silicon-containing preparations increased the weight of the grains per cob by 14.5 to 36.6%, Microvit-6 Silicon being more promising. Leaf treatment with silicon-containing preparations increased corn yield by 26.4 to 50.1%. The advantage in grain yield was for the variants with the application of Microvit-6 Silicon in the phase of five leaves of maize and Nano Kremniy binary. A certain regularity in the influence of foliar treatment with silicon-containing preparations on the biochemical composition of maize grain was not revealed, only the tendency of increasing the content of crude protein, crude fat and reducing the mineralization of the grain when using them was established.