| Abstract: | This research was conducted to evaluate silicon (Si) effects on the morphological characteristics and resistance to rice stem borer under greenhouse conditions at Sari Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University in 2009. The experiment was conducted as factorial in a complete randomized design (two factors) with three replications. The factors included four levels of silicon (Si) (Si0 = 0, Si1 = 5, Si2 = 10, Si3 = 20 g Si kg?1 soil) and three rice cultivars (Parto, Line 34, and Neda). The results showed Si fertilizer had a significant effect on percentage of white head, length of leaf, width of leaf, diameter of stem, and percentage of reproductive tiller. Also, increased stem Si increased the resistance to striped stem borer in the rice cultivars studied. The greatest resistance to striped stem borer was observed with the application of 20 g Si kg?1 soil. The application of Si at the rate of 20 g Si kg?1 soil significantly reduced the percentage of white head from 18.10% (without Si) to 0.11% (with 20 g Si kg?1 soil) in Parto cultivar. |
