Ameliorating effects of foliar potassium silicate application on dry beans under salinity stress

In recent years, research on reducing salinity stress in plants using potassium silicate (K2SiO3) has been increasing. However, there is no scientific research which shows the positive or negative impacts of this molecule on dry beans in decreasing salinity stress. Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate the possible effects of foliar K2SiO3 application on dry beans growth and yield in attenuating the adverse effects of salinity. Four different salinity levels of irrigation water (control-0.6 dS m-1, low-1.6 dS m-1, medium-3.0 dS m-1 and high-4.8 dS m-1) and three different foliar K2SiO3 application doses (0, 2 and 4 mM) were tested simultaneously as two different factors. In general, the results showed that the salinity of irrigation water significantly raised soil salinity and drainage water salinity, however it decreased consumption of plant water, efficiency of water use and growth and yield parameters of dry beans. In addition, a foliar K2SiO3 application had a slightly positive effect on the efficiency of water use, plant height, pod number and dry biological, pod and seed yields. The salinity threshold value was slightly and moderately increased by the 2 and 4 mM K2SiO3 applications, respectively. Overall, the results suggest that foliar K2SiO3 application at the applied concentrations has an insignificant effect in ameliorating the salinity stress tolerance on dry beans.