Silicon Added to Common Bean Seeds: Physiologic and Sanitary Effects

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of the of common bean seeds coating with different doses of Si, supplied by the carbonized rice hulls, in its physic, physiologic and sanitary attributes, as well determine the amount of this element absorbed in plants. The experiment was conducted in Laboratory of Seed Analysis belonging to the Universidade Federal de Pelotas-Brazil, during the crop season 2014/2015. For this, common bean seeds of cultivar BRS Expedito were treated at doses of 0, 45, 90, 135 and 180 grams of Si 100 kg-1 of seeds, using a completely randomized experimental design with four replicates The use of different doses of carbonized rice hulls in the seed coat does not alter the physical quality and does not negatively affect the physiological quality of the seeds. Crescent doses of carbonized rice hulls up to 101 g of Si 100 kg-1 of seeds increase the seedlings vigor evaluated by the total dry mass and length of shoot at 21 days after seeding, as well as the Si amount in roots. The root dry mass at 21 days after seeding presents growth reduction with the increase of doses until 104 g of Si 100 kg-1 of seeds, although, without compromising the shoot development and the element accumulation. The different Si doses supplied by the carbonized rice hulls do not control pathogens associated to seeds.