A pot trial was conducted in 2012 in the conservatory of the Anand Agricultural University Anand Gujarat (India). The effort was made for study the influence of silicon and phosphorus supply on available Si, P, Fe and Mn Content and Nutrient Ratio of P-stressed maize. Treatments were arranged in a factorial completely randomized design with silicon factor at five levels (0, 100, 200, 300 and 400 ppm) and two levels of P (0 and 40 mg P kg soil-1) and maize were taken as a test crop with three replicates. Indian improved and high –yielding variety, Gujarat Maize-6, was used. In the investigation, preliminary survey work was carried out in two texturally different P scarce soils and to know the response to silicon and phosphorus application by maize. Altogether, 30 surface (0 – 15 cm) soil samples were collected from two locations and analyzed for available Si and P and based on available phosphorus content they were categorized in to low, medium and high. The application of phosphorus (P40) significantly decreased the Si: P ratio in P deficient soils and highest P: Fe ratio was observed as 11.64 and 10.82 due to P40 level in both the soils. The highest P: Mn ratio (138.36 and 152.00) was recorded under Si300xP40 in both the soils. The application of phosphorus (P40) also significantly increased the P: Zn ratio in both P deficient soils. The increase in P: Zn ratio could be due to decrease in Zn uptake on account of increased P uptake. Overall results of investigation indicated that application of silicon @ 300 mg kg-1 and phosphorus at 40 mg P2O5 kg-1 gave maximum maize yield under P stress condition and also improved silicon, phosphorus and micronutrients utilization by maize plants.
Keywords: Silicon, Maize, Phosphorus, Nutrient ratio, Nutrient content