Efeito da adubação silicatada no manejo de spodoptera frugiperda

Abstract

Maize (Zea mays L.) is one of the world's major agricultural crops and is frequently affected by the fall armyworm (*Spodoptera frugiperda*), its primary pest in Brazil. Silicon (Si) has been studied as a beneficial element capable of inducing plant resistance to insect pests, representing a sustainable alternative within the context of integrated pest management. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of silicate fertilization, using different silicon sources, on maize productivity traits and the control of S. frugiperda. The experiment was conducted at the IFMG – Bambuí Campus experimental site using a randomized complete block design with four blocks and nine treatments (36 experimental units). The treatments combined two silicon sources (potassium silicate and calcium silicate) and three cultivars (a landrace variety and the hybrids BREVANT B2811 PWU and B2688), alongside their respective controls. Evaluations included S. frugiperda damage and control levels (using the sampling table by Bianco, 1995), grain moisture, and thousand-seed weight. Data were subjected to analysis of variance and mean comparison tests (Tukey and Scott-Knott) at a 5% probability level using SISVAR software. There was no significant treatment effect on grain moisture (mean of 16.01%), thousand-seed weight (mean of 372.22 g), or damage caused by S. frugiperda; the latter remained within the "no control" range of the sampling table across all evaluations, indicating low infestation pressure throughout the crop cycle. It was concluded that, under low natural infestation, silicate fertilization did not influence the evaluated characteristics; further studies under higher pest pressure are recommended to assess the true potential of silicon in the management of S. frugiperda