EFFICIENCY OF SILICON-BASED MICRONUTRIENT FERTILIZERS FOR IMPROVING SOYBEAN STRESS TOLERANCE
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32782/naturaljournal.17.2026.23Keywords:
soybean, biofortification, stress resistance, chlorophyll fluorescence induction, moisture loss, thermal imaging assessment, yieldAbstract
The results of a two-year study on the application of silicon-containing micronutrient fertilizers as foliar feeding to improve the overall stress resistance of plants are presented. Innovative approaches were applied using a portable fluorometer, a thermal imaging camera, and dynamic laboratory methods for evaluating plant drought resistance based on leaf moisture loss over a period of up to five days of observation, compared with the control. Three types of silicon-containing micronutrient fertilizers from different manufacturers, widely available on the Ukrainian market and recommended for soybean cultivation – Chelatin Silicon, KORMIN Silicon (Humate), and Quantum AquaSil – were tested under three application regimes: at the branching stage, the budding stage, and a combination of both application timings. The use of silicon-containing micronutrient fertilizers resulted in an increase in leaf water potential by 16.1–20.2%, a reduction in overall growth stress by 9.3–13.2%, and an increase in the overall plant vitality index by 19.8–26.2%. The highest soybean yield increments were obtained with the application of Quantum AquaSil as a foliar treatment: 4.9% at the branching stage, 10.1% at the budding stage, and 17.9% when applied at both stages. A ranking of the applied silicon-containing micronutrient fertilizers, in order of increasing positive effect on stress resistance, was established as follows: Chelatin Silicon – KORMIN Silicon (Humate) – Quantum AquaSil.
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