Effect of Ortho silicic acid formulation (Silixol granules) on milling and cooking quality of Rice

An experiment was conducted at Department of Agronomy, Annamalai University, Annamalai Nagar, Tamil Nadu during June to September, 2014 to study the effect of ortho silicic acid formulation (silixol granules) on milling and cooking quality of rice. The experiment consisted of six treatments viz., Recommended dose of fertilizers (RDF) (T1), T1 + Calcium silicate @ 2 t ha-1(T2), T1+ 120 kg Si ha-1 through Fly Ash (T3), T1+ Silixol granules @ 12.5 kg ha-1 (T4), T1+ Silixol granules @ 25 kg ha-1 (T5), T1+ Silixol granules @ 37.5 kg ha-1 (T6). The experiment was laid out in randomized block design with four replications. The results of the experiment revealed that application of Silixol granules @ 37.5 kg ha-1 along with RDF recorded higher values for milling and head rice recovery of raw rice. The same treatment registered maximum length and breadth ratio and amylose content in cooked rice over others. This was closely followed by T5 and was on par with T4. Among the traditional sources of silicon, Calcium silicate performed well than Fly Ash. The least milling and cooking quality of rice was observed under recommended dose of fertilizers. Therefore, this study shows that enrichment of silicon in paddy grains through silixol granules enhanced the milling and cooking quality of rice.