Effect of Silicon on Growth and Ornamental Traits Of

A pot experiment was carried out to determine the effect of foliagespraying of silicon (si) on growth and ornamental characteristics of calendulagrown under salt stress and greenhouse conditions. a factorial experimentbased on completely randomized design was conducted with 3 levels of si (0,50 and 100 mg/l) and 3 levels of nacl (0, 100 and 200 mm) with 4 replications.at flowering stage, si was applied with spraying two times in two weekintervals. nacl was also applied as drench (200 ml per pot) in two daysinterval. the results showed that salinity decreased the growth, spad values,flower number per plant and flower diameter. however, foliar applications ofsi resulted in greater root, shoot and total dry weight, plant height and leaf areaof calendula plants under salt stress. the highest spad values were obtainedunder 100 mg/l si application in all nacl treatments. salinity decreased numberof flower per plant and flower diameter as ornamental characteristics; howeversi increased them under salinity stress. plants treated with 100 mg/l si had thehighest flower diameter at 100 mm of nacl. electrolyte leakage increased bysalinity, however foliar application of si significantly reduced electrolyteleakage under salt stress. these results suggest that the negative effects ofsalinity on the growth and ornamental characteristics of calendula plants canameliorate by foliar application of si treatments.