Silicon has been considered a beneficial element for plants that accumulate it, specially rice, thus it is quite common its addition to deficient soils. However, its effects seem to depend more on environmental and indirect factors related to soil and silicon sources characteristics. With the objective to study the effect of silicon as the single growth factor of rice (Oryza sativa cv. BR-IRGA 410), an experiment was carried out using nutrient solution under greenhouse conditions, with and without the addition of silicon as SiO2 (powder). Results did not show yield increase in dry matter of roots, stem + leaves and grain. Only husk yield increased with silicon addition. With silicon addition to the nutrient solution, all parts of the plant showed higher concentration of silicon but not the grains. Silicon addition significantly reduced boron and phosphorus concentrations in the roots and boron, calcium, iron and manganese concentrations in the husks. Silicon did not affect the concentration of all other nutrients in the stem + leaves and grain.
roots; stem + leaves; husks; grains