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Nitrogen and Silicon Application Can Increase Nutrient Uptake and Fruit Quality of Cucurbita pepo L.

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Abstract

Silicon has been regarded as a promising technology to improve nutrient supply to plants. This study aimed to evaluate the influence of different nitrogen doses on mineral nutrition and fruit quality of zucchini cv. Caserta SH-202 with and without foliar silicon application. An experiment was conducted under field conditions to evaluate the effects of five levels of nitrogen (30, 60, 90, 120, and 150 kg ha−1 N) and silicon application (without and with foliar application). The N levels were split into smaller aliquots and applied at three different times, while Si was equally split into two applications, with the first at 14 days after planting (DAS) and the second at 28 (DAS) via foliar application. Using the leaves during the flowering period, individual leaf samples were collected at 28 (DAS) from the intermediate branches of plants in each plot to evaluate the contents of N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, B, Cu, Fe, Mn, Zn, and Na. The following quality parameters were obtained at 55 (DAS): potential of hydrogen (pH), soluble solids (Brix), titratable acidity, and ascorbic acid (vitamin C). Nitrogen fertilization promoted adequate nutrition for zucchini of N, P, K, Ca, Mg, B, Cu, Mn and Zn, related to the application of silicon, which is also suitable for fruit quality in the pH, Brix, titratable acidity, and vitamin C. Considering the adequate nutritional value of zucchini, the level of nitrogen fertilization recommended with silicon ranges from 20 to 40 g plant−1.

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Data Availability

The authors confirm that the data supporting the findings of this study are available within the article and its Supplementary Material. Raw data that support the finding of this study are available from the corresponding author, upon reasonable request.

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Dedication

We dedicate this study to professor Lourival Ferreira Cavalcante (in memoriam), the greatest example of an upright and ethical human being whose commitment to research and teaching were always came first. Here are the results of his efforts. With much gratitude.

Funding

This study was partially funded by the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development of Brazil (CNPq).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Agricultural Sciences, Agri-Food Science and Technology Center, Federal University of Campina Grande, Pombal, PB, Brazil

    Jackson de Mesquita Alves & Cesenildo de Figueiredo Suassuna

  2. Department of Agrarian and Exact, State University of Paraiba – UEPB, Campus IV, Catolé do Rocha, PB, Brazil

    Alex Serafim de Lima, Evandro Franklin de Mesquita, Caio da Silva Sousa & Francisca Lacerda da Silva

  3. Federal University of Paraiba, Center for Agricultural Sciences, Graduate Program in Agronomy, Areia, PB, Brazil

    Lucimara Ferreira de Figueredo & Francisco Thiago Coelho Bezerra

  4. Department of Soils, National of Semiarid Institute – INSA, Campina Grande, PB, 58434-700, Brazil

    Francisco de Oliveira Mesquita

Authors
  1. Jackson de Mesquita Alves
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  2. Alex Serafim de Lima
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  3. Lucimara Ferreira de Figueredo
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  4. Francisco de Oliveira Mesquita
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  5. Evandro Franklin de Mesquita
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  8. Francisca Lacerda da Silva
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  9. Cesenildo de Figueiredo Suassuna
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Correspondence to Francisco de Oliveira Mesquita.

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de Mesquita Alves, J., de Lima, A.S., de Figueredo, L.F. et al. Nitrogen and Silicon Application Can Increase Nutrient Uptake and Fruit Quality of Cucurbita pepo L.. Water Air Soil Pollut 233, 40 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-021-05376-w

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