Summary
This hydroponic trial investigated whether silicon supplementation (2.25 mM potassium silicate) could protect tomato from salinity-induced yield loss at elevated electrical conductivity (4.8 dS m⁻¹). Silicon addition prevented yield depression caused by sodium chloride-induced salinity, maintaining mean fruit weight and increasing fruit quality metrics (carotenoids, vitamin C, firmness, soluble solids), whilst also reducing blossom-end rot incidence under non-saline conditions.
Regional applicability
The findings are relevant to United Kingdom protected cropping (glasshouse tomato production), particularly for understanding how silicon nutrition might enhance resilience in intensive hydroponic systems and improve fruit quality under environmental stress. Direct transferability depends on whether UK growers routinely adopt silicon supplementation and whether comparable salinity pressures arise in commercial closed systems.
Key measures
Fruit yield per plant, mean fruit weight, β-carotene content, lycopene content, vitamin C content, total soluble solutes, fruit firmness, blossom-end rot incidence, electrical conductivity (EC) of drainage water
Outcomes reported
The study measured fruit yield per plant, mean fruit weight, nutritional composition (β-carotene, lycopene, vitamin C, total soluble solutes), fruit firmness, and incidence of blossom-end rot in tomato grown under different salinity and silicon regimes in hydroponics.
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