Critical Role of Exogenously Applied Silicon on Insect Pests and Yield in Kharif Rice

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted at Rice Research Station, Department of Agriculture, Government of West Bengal, Chinsurah, Hooghly during three consecutive Kharif seasons to evaluate the effect of exogenously applied silicon on the infestation of rice insect-pests and yield of rice. Rice is most important staple food in West Bengal and in India. However, due to biotic stress, the crop hampers high-yield production. When the farming community goes ahead for chemical management practices to manage the biotic stress, not only the environmental pollution, and pesticide residue problem arises but also the chance of pest resurgence and pest resistance problems arise. Therefore, an attempt was made in this present study to find out an alternate strategy to manage rice insects viz. whorl maggot, leaf folder and stem borer through the amendment of silicon by seed priming, seedling root dipping, foliar spray and soil application. As rice is a silicon-loving crop and they accumulate silicon in their system. Additionally, silicon amendment has no detrimental impact on the environment as well as no residual problem may arise. In this study, it was evident that in foliar spray with 1.2% silica gel [Sodium silicate (Na2SiO2)] at 30, 40 and 50 DAT or soil application of granular silica gel [80% silicon dioxide (SiO2) powder] @ 80 kg ha-1 as basal treatment have significantly managed rice insects viz. whorl maggot, leaf folder and stem borer and high grain and straw yield were obtained. Therefore, silica amendment exogenously by foliar spray and soil application in rice fields can be a viable option for rice IPM.