Effect of Saline Water Stress in the Presence of Silicon Foliar Application on Growth, Productivity and Chemical Constituents of Chia (Salvia hispanica L.) under Egyptian Conditions

The pot experiment was carried out during two successive seasons (2016/2017 & 2017/2018) to study the effect of five levels of salinity and three levels of silicon (Si), as a foliar-spray application as well as their combinations on growth, productivity and chemical constituents of chia (Salvia hispanica L.) plants. Results showed that there was a negative relationship between vegetative growth measurements i.e., plant height, fresh weight and dry weight, flowering growth and yield parameters i.e., main inflorescence height, main inflorescence weight, inflorescences weight, seeds weights, weight of 1000 seeds and calculated seeds yield /m2 and root growth measurements i.e. root length, root weight and root diameter values and salinity treatments in both seasons. Hence, as the concentrations of salinity increased, the values of these parameters decreased to reach the maximum decreasing at the high concentration (4.69 dS m-1). Therefore, the combination treatment between 0.68 dS m-1 salinity concentration and 2000 ppm silicon scored the highest values of these parameters, in the 1st and 2nd seasons. Meanwhile, the maximum values of N, P and K contents were recorded by the combination treatment between 0.68 dS m-1 salinity concentration and 2000 ppm silicon in both seasons. Whereas, the highest values of free proline, sodium and chloride content were gained by the high concentration of salinity 4.96 dS m-1 especially those received silicon at 0 ppm in both seasons. Conclusively, the highest growth, productivity and chemical constituents of chia (Salvia hispanica L.) plant, it is preferable to grow the plants under saline water irrigation concentration at (0.68 dS m-1) and spray with silicon at 2000 ppm.