Silicon increases the production and quality of cherry tomato under different electrical conductivity levels

Summary

The addition of high nutrient concentrations to irrigation water increases its electrical conductivity by contributing to its salinity, resulting in crop yield losses. However, in cases where stress conditions are not observed, silicon can act as a biostimulant and promote vegetative growth, fruit quality, and fruit production. From this perspective, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of fertigation with different electrical conductivity levels associated with potassium silicate on the production parameters of cherry tomatoes grown in a protected environment. The study was conducted in Bom Jesus - PI, and arranged in a randomized block design with four replications and a 6 x 2 factorial corresponding to six electrical conductivity levels (1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0, 5.0, and 6.0 dS m-1) in th