Silicon, acibenzolar-S-methyl and potassium phosphite in the control of brown spot in rice

ABSTRACT This study investigated the effects of silicon (Si), acibenzolar-S-methyl (ASM), and potassium phosphite (Phi) on the potentiation of rice resistance to infection by Bipolaris oryzae. The treatments included the soil amended with Si (1.25 g of calcium silicate per kg of soil), spraying of plants with ASM (500 mg∙L–1), Phi (5 mL∙L–1), and distilled water (control) 24 h before inoculation with B. oryzae. The treatments Si supply and the spraying of ASM and Phi were effective in reducing the area under brown spot progress curve and the number of lesions per cm2 of leaf. Polyphenoloxidases activity was higher for plants supplied with Si. On plants sprayed with ASM, the activities of polyphenoloxidases, phenylalanine ammonia-lyases, chitinases, and β-1,3-glucanases increased. The spraying of plants with Phi did not increase the activities of the studied defense enzymes. Taken together, the results of this study indicated that brown spot symptoms can be greatly reduced with the use of Si, ASM, and Phi.