Use of silicon compounds as a factor of raising spring barley сultivars productivity under water stress

In the pot experiments the effect of organic (tetraethoxisilan, the ethylic ether of orthosilicic acid) and inorganic silicon compounds (sodium silicate) on productivity of two spring barley varieties (Bios 1 and Zazersky 85) under water stress was studied. The positive influence of silicon was found, and the loss of productivity under soil drought decreased in both barley varieties by 15-21 %. The essential varieties between effects of two silicon forms were not found, however, the difference between two varieties was established. The efficiency of silicon compounds in the Zazerskii 85 variety was higher at drought conditions than it was at normal water content. In the Bios 1 variety this difference was not revealed. The influence of spray during the vegetation increased productivity of both barley varieties, but less then seed treatment, in the Zazerskii variety especially. The highest productivity was obtained if seed treatment and spray during the vegetation were applied in combination. The seed treatment in the droughty conditions increases the phosphorus content in grain, in a lesser degree — the potassium content, and it has no influence on total nitrogen content.