Silicon Improves Strawberry Ability to Cope with Water Deficit Stress

Strawberry is one of the most important commercial fruits. This research aimed to ameliorate the negative effects of water deficit stress using silicon application on strawberry. The experiment was conducted as a factorial in a completely randomized design with three factors including cultivar (‘Selva’ and ‘Gavioita’), Na2SiO3 (Sodium silicate) concentrations [0, 3, and 6 mM), as the source of silicon, and water deficit stress (40%, 60%, 80%, and 100% of field capacity (FC)], in three replications. ‘Gavioita’ cultivar showed the highest superoxide dismutase enzyme activity in leaves under sever water deficit stress (40% of FC) following Na2SiO3 (3 and 6 mM concentrations) application. Application of Na2SiO3 at concentration of 6 mM increased the catalase enzyme activity significantly in the leaves of ‘Gavioita’cultivar under severe water deficit stress (40% of FC). The activity of peroxidase enzyme was enhanced considerably under 80% of FC and lower water deficit in the fruits of both cultivars. The fruit total anthocyanin level was increased significantly by application of Na2SiO3 at 3 and 6 mM concentrations under water deficit stress (60% of FC). Also, Na2SiO3 (at concentrations of 3 and 6 mM) enhanced the proline level significantly in ‘Gavioita’ cultivar compared to the control treatment under normal conditions (100% of FC). In conclusion, the results of present study indicated that application of Na2SiO3 at 6 mM concentration is useful treatment to cope with sever water deficit stress (40% of FC) especially in ‘Gavioita’ cultivar of strawbery.