Effects of foliar application of silicon fertilizer on the growth and heavy metal content of Glycine max (L.) Merr.

Abstract A field trial was conducted to investigate the effects of three different foliar silicon fertilizers, including Silicon-based cadmium-resistant foliar fertilizer, Algae silicon-based foliar fertilizer and Dunfenggui micro-nano-silicon microbial inoculant, on the growth agronomic traits, biological yield, heavy metal content in bean kernels and available heavy metal content in topsoil after harvest of Edamame (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) Results showed that: Compared with control treatment (spraying equal amount of water), spraying three different kinds of silicon fertilizer on leaf surface could increase the fresh weight of stem and leaf of soybean plant by 4.29%~21.27%, the fresh weight of Edamame shell by 2.87%~8.75%, and the fresh weight of soybean grain by 2.14%~10.36%. It increased the fresh yield of Edamame with shell by 2.62%~8.37% and that of Edamame by 2.14%~ 10.36%. The contents of Cr, Pb, As, Hg and Cd in Edamame seed were decreased by 64.42%~74.96%, 14.71%~63.97%, 30.77%~53.85%, 4.55%~9.09% and 0.00%~22.73%, respectively. The pH value, available contents of heavy metal, including Cr, Cd and As of soil in the plough layer after Edamame harvest, were decreased by 10.17%~13.56%, 50.00%~58.49%, 18.75%~21.25% and 1.37%~4.11%, respectively.