The study of a silatrane-containing preparation on improving the consumer properties of lettuce (Lactuca sativa var. Dubachek MC), grown hydroponically in phytotron-ISR 0.1
This paper presents the results of experimental study on the possibility of improving consumer properties of lettuce (Lactuca sativa - var. Dubachuk MC) grown under the conditions of closed system in ISR-0.1 phytotron by applying foliar treatment of different concentrations of 1-ethoxysilatran - a new silicon based preparation belonging to Silatrans group. The trail demonstrated no effect of the preparation when applied in a concentration of 5.10-4 ml/l in ES1 treatment. However, the effectiveness starts upon using higher concentrations. The best yield components were obtained as a result of foliar treatments of ES3 and ES4 with concentrations of 5.10-3 and 10-2 ml/l respectively. Applying foliar treatment in vegetative phase resulted in complex effect of activation of physiological processes in plants, stimulating the photosynthetic activity and accumulation of photosynthetic pigments by recording a 22.7% increase in chlorophyll-a and 18.6% in carotenoids content in fresh leaves. Nitrate accumulation recorded 792.3 mg/100g in ES4 which is 2.7 times higher than the control. Also, an increase in dry matter content by 12.2%, pigments by 16.3%, total antioxidants capacity, a 40% increase in ascorbic acid content were recorded. While only slight increase in total phenolic content was observed in higher concentrations. These overall considerable influences in metabolic activities lead to a better productivity in case of production mass. Further studies should be concerning the effect of 1-ethoxysilatran on other leafy vegetables and prolonging the storage of them.