Effect of silicon supply on growth, fertility, and mineral composition of an annual brome, Bromus secalinus L. (Gramineae)
Gali, H.U. | Smith, C.C.
A study of the effects of three levels of silicon nutrition, representing low, intermediate, and high levels, shows that silicon does not enhance the vegetative growth of Bromus secalinus (cheat), yet it increases the rate of seed development and the efficiency of seed set. Grasses supplied with silicon have a higher percent of viable seeds compared to those grown in very low levels of silicon. Silicon supply, however, is not an absolute requirement for cheat reproduction, since grasses growing in low silicon levels set flowers and seeds, and the average weight of individual seeds or the mean number of inflorescences per plant are not influenced by silicon nutrition. Concentrations of silicon in tissues of cheat increase over time and with higher levels of silicon supply. Considerable differences are found in the silicon content of various vegetative and reproductive parts of cheat. Among vegetative parts, levels of silicon are lowest in stems and highest in green and senescent leaf blades. Among reproductive parts, silicon is most highly concentrated in the husks (glumes, lemmas, and paleas) surrounding filled seeds and is almost nonexistent in the seed itself. Mechanisms influencing silicon deposition and the ecological significance of the present findings are discussed.
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