Skip to main navigation menu Skip to main content Skip to site footer
Plant Science Today (PST)

Research Articles

Vol. 13 No. sp5 (2026): Recent Advances in Agriculture

Silicon-mediated sustainable intensification of rice production: Impacts on yield, economic returns and pest resistance

DOI
https://doi.org/10.14719/pst.13529
Submitted
4 January 2026
Published
01-09-2026

Abstract

Rice cultivation is increasingly constrained by stagnant yields, diminishing profit margins and escalating pest pressures. These interrelated challenges compromise both crop productivity and economic viability. To address this, the adoption of integrated agronomic strategies is essential. The precise application of micronutrients and biostimulants has been shown to improve physiological efficiency, enhance nutrient-use efficiency and activate plant defence responses, thereby contributing to increased yield performance, economic returns and pest resilience under sustainable production systems. Therefore, a field study was carried out during the 2024 kuruvai season (June–September) at the Experimental Farm of the Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture, Annamalai University, Tamil Nadu. To assess the treatment effects, the experiment followed a split-plot design with 3 replications. The main plot treatments consisted of four micronutrient regimes: an untreated control (M₁), zinc sulphate (ZnSO4) applied at 25 kg ha-1 (M₂), diatomaceous earth applied at 50 kg ha-1 as a silicon source (M₃) and a combined application of ZnSO4 at 25 kg ha-1 and diatomaceous earth at 50 kg ha-1 (M₄). The subplot treatments consisted of four biostimulant regimes: an untreated control (S₁), humic acid applied at 0.3 % (S₂), seaweed extract applied at 0.3 % (S₃) and vermiwash applied at 5 % (S₄). Among all treatment combinations, the application of ZnSO₄ at 25 kg ha-1 along with diatomaceous earth at 50 kg ha-1, supplemented by foliar sprays of seaweed extract (0.3 %) at 20 and 40 days after transplanting (DAT) (M₄S₃), recorded the highest grain yield (6270 kg ha-1) and straw yield (8783 kg ha-1), resulting in the maximum net income (₹89209.5 ha-1) and benefit-cost ratio (2.44). The treatment also significantly reduced leaf folder incidence to 0.81 %, indicating enhanced productivity, profitability and pest tolerance.

References

  1. 1. Meena VD, Dotaniya ML, Coumar V, Rajendiran S, Kundu S, Rao AS. A case for silicon fertilization to improve crop yields in tropical soils. Proc Natl Acad Sci India Sect B Biol Sci. 2014;84(3):505–18. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40011-013-0270-y
  2. 2. Guntzer F, Keller C, Meunier JD. Benefits of plant silicon for crops: A review. Agron Sustain Dev. 2012;32:201–13. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13593-011-0039-8
  3. 3. Liang Y, Sun W, Zhu YG, Christie P. Mechanisms of silicon-mediated alleviation of abiotic stresses in higher plants: A review. Environ Pollut. 2007;147(2):422–8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2006.06.008
  4. 4. FAO, UNESCO. Soil map of the world. Vol. I: Legend. Paris: FAO-UNESCO; 1974.
  5. 5. Gomez KA, Gomez AA. Statistical procedures for agricultural research. New York: John Wiley and Sons; 1991.
  6. 6. Sudhagar Rao GB, Balachandrakaumar V, Immanuel RR, Nambi J, Suthin Raj T. Influence of zinc and iron fortified micronutrients on the growth, yield and economics of rice (Oryza sativa L.). Crop Res. 2020;55(5–6):3. https://doi.org/10.31830/2454-1761.2020.029
  7. 7. Singh V, Singh V, Singh S, Khanna R. Effect of zinc and silicon on growth and yield of aromatic rice (Oryza sativa). J Rice Res Dev. 2020;3(1):82–6. https://doi.org/10.36959/973/424
  8. 8. Deepana P, Sathiya Bama K, Santhy P, Sivasankari Devi T. Effect of seaweed extract on rice (Oryza sativa var. ADT 53) productivity and soil fertility in Cauvery delta zone of Tamil Nadu, India. J Appl Nat Sci. 2021;13(3):1111–20. https://doi.org/10.31018/jans.v13i3.2906
  9. 9. Sandhya K, Prakash NB, Meunier JD. Diatomaceous earth as source of silicon on the growth and yield of rice in contrasted soils of Southern India. J Soil Sci Plant Nutr. 2018;18(2):344–60. https://doi.org/10.4067/S0718-95162018005001201
  10. 10. Khan W, Rayirath UP, Subramanian S, Jithesh MN, Rayorath P, Hodges DM, et al. Seaweed extracts as biostimulants of plant growth and development. J Plant Growth Regul. 2009;28:386–99. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00344-009-9103-x
  11. 11. Keshari PK, Laik R, Singh A, Sarkar S. Effect of zinc on growth, yield and zinc use efficiency of rice in rice-wheat cropping system. Int J Plant Soil Sci. 2019;29(1):1–8. https://doi.org/10.9734/ijpss/2019/v29i130134
  12. 12. Bharathiraja P. Response of aerobic rice to silicon fertilization [MSc thesis]. Chidambaram: Annamalai University; 2014.
  13. 13. Layek J, Das A, Idapuganti RG, Sarkar D, Ghosh A, Zodape ST, et al. Seaweed extract as organic bio-stimulant improves productivity and quality of rice in eastern Himalayas. J Appl Phycol. 2018;30:547–58. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10811-017-1225-0
  14. 14. Pati S, Pal B, Badole S, Hazra GC, Mandal B. Effect of silicon fertilization on growth, yield and nutrient uptake of rice. Commun Soil Sci Plant Anal. 2016;47(3):284–90. https://doi.org/10.1080/00103624.2015.1122797
  15. 15. Shamirkhan S, Basavaraja PK, Yogendra ND, Arup G. Influence of seaweed saps on germination, growth and yield of hybrid maize under Cauvery command of Karnataka, India. Int J Curr Microbiol Appl Sci. 2017;6(9):1047–56. https://doi.org/10.20546/ijcmas.2017.609.126
  16. 16. Chandramani P, Rajendran R, Muthiah C, Chinniah C. Organic source induced silica on leaf folder, stem borer and gall midge population and rice yield. J Biopestic. 2010;3(2):423–7. https://doi.org/10.57182/jbiopestic.3.2.423-427
  17. 17. Javvaji S, Telugu UM, Venkata RDB, Madhav MS, Rathod S, Chintalapati P. Characterization of resistance to rice leaf folder Cnaphalocrocis medinalis in mutant Samba Mahsuri rice lines. Entomol Exp Appl. 2021;169(9):859–75. https://doi.org/10.1111/eea.13082
  18. 18. Rizwan M, Atta B, Rizwan M, Sabir AM, Tahir M, Sabar M. Silicon plays an effective role in integrated pest management against rice leaf folder Cnaphalocrocis medinalis Guenee (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae). Pak J Zool. 2021:1–7. https://doi.org/10.17582/journal.pjz/20200330090344
  19. 19. Nayak P, Biswas S, Dutta D. Effect of seaweed extracts on growth, yield and economics of kharif rice (Oryza sativa L.). J Pharmacogn Phytochem. 2020;9(3):247–53. https://doi.org/10.22271/phyto.2020.v9.i3d.11269
  20. 20. Afrin S, Anwar MDP, Rahman R, Hasan AK, Forhad FB, Yeasmin AKMS, et al. Comparative performance and economics of different zinc application approaches in Boro rice. Fundam Appl Agric. 2022;7(2):121–30. https://doi.org/10.5455/faa.87165

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.