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Silicic acid enable Silicon (Si) uptake of pepper plant (Piper nigrum L.) and accumulate with
other nutrients

1 Nur Ainu Farhah Rabae, Xiaolei Jin, Siti Nordahliawate Mohamed Sidiqueu *
1
2

1 Laboratory for Pest, Disease and Microbial Biotechnology (LAPDiM), Faculty of Fisheries and Food
Sciences, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia
2 Department of Biological Sciences, National Sun Yat-Sen University, Leinhai Road,
Kaohsiung, 80424, Taiwan

* Corresponding author: dahliasidique@umt.edu.my

Abstract:
Recently, silicon (Si) had been considered as one of the beneficial elements improving plant growth
specially on rice, barley and wheat but there is limited work on pepper plant. This is because it is known
as Si intermediate-accumulator. However, Si in the form of silicic acid giving a potential for any plants
to uptake Si. Therefore, this study objectives were to determine amount of Si uptake by pepper plant
and to obtain the accumulation of other plant nutrient elements. The experimental plot design was
conducted in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) and selected pepper variety Kuching.
Silicon nutrient that is in the form of silicic acid had been applied once a week on pepper plants at
different concentration throughout eight months of seedling stages; 0.5% Si (v/v), 1.5% Si (v/v) and
2.0% Si (v/v). Silicon and nutrients elements in both pepper plant soil and leaves were analyzed by
using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES). Plant nutrients such as K,
P, Ca, Mg, Mn and B had increased together with Si uptake whereas heavy metal such Pb was less taken
by plants. Although pepper plant is a low Si-accumulator, but Si in silicic acid form could give benefit
to the plant. Pepper plants requires an optimum supply of both macronutrients and micronutrients for
productive yield especially the major nutrients required by pepper plants are N, P, K, followed by
secondary nutrients Ca and Mg. Silicic acid can increase the efficiency in Si uptake of plants through
soil drenching, it should be considered as part of the nutrient element in fertilization system; preferably
via fertigation for constant supply of Si to black pepper plants.

Keywords: Pepper, Piper nigrum, Silicon, Silicic acid, ICP-OES