Seed treatment with silicon on initial growth of soybean (Glycine max) cultivars

Soybean (Glycine max) is a crop of high economic power in the world, being used to produce vegetable oil, as well as a source of food for animals and humans. Recent research indicates that nutrient application in the seed stage contributes to the early and productive development of crops. Since silicon (Si), as a nutrient for plants, acts in the cellular structure and the formation and performance of plant architecture, the aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of silicon application via seeds on the initial growth of three soybean cultivars. The experimental design was a randomized block. The treatments were replicated three times and distributed in a 3×5 factorial scheme, composed by three soybean cultivars (C1 - FTR 1186 IPRO, C2 - FTR 1192 IPRO and C3 - FTR 3190 IPRO) and five silicon doses (0, 30, 60, 90 and 120 g per 100 kg of seeds). The data were submitted to ANOVA by F-test and polynomial regression analysis for the silicon doses; the cultivars response was evaluated through the Tukey mean test. The treatment of soybean seeds with silicon did not positively influence the root dry mass of the FTR 1192 IPRO, nor the root length and root diameter of the FTR 1186 IPRO. The application of silicon did not influence the FTR 3190 IPRO.