Silicon (Si) and potassium are known to impart tolerance against numerous biotic stresses in crop plants. A study was conducted to determine the effect of diatomaceous earth (DE), a soil-applied Si source and soluble silicic acid, a foliar applied Si source at two levels of potassium for their efficacy against pink stem borer (PSB) incidence and damage in wheat under field conditions for two seasons. The effect of these Si sources and potassium levels on photosynthesis, yield, and related parameters were also studied. Soil application of DE @ 300 kg ha⁻¹ significantly decreased the PSB incidence with the lowest percent white ear damage and recorded the highest grain yield of 3.31 t ha⁻¹. Both soil and foliar applied Si sources along with potassium @ 36 kg ha⁻¹ significantly enhanced the net photosynthesis rate, stomatal conductance, water use efficiency, intercellular CO₂ concentration, spike length, spike weight, number of grains per spike, 1000 grains weight and significantly decreased the transpiration rate in contrast to untreated control (no Si application) and insecticidal check. Soil applied Si sources significantly enhanced plant-available Si content in soil solution and thereby Si content in stem tissues of wheat plants in contrast to foliar-applied Si sources. Maximum Benefit: Cost ratio (2.03) was recorded with soil application of DE @ 150 kg ha⁻¹ which was more than recommended insecticidal check (1.74). Both Si sources proved significantly superior to insecticidal check in managing PSB in wheat under field conditions and improved photosynthesis, yield and related parameters, which can be integrated with other practices for sustainable, eco-friendly management of PSB in wheat.

已知硅（Si）和钾可赋予作物植物多种生物胁迫的耐受性。进行了一项研究以确定硅藻土（DE），土壤施用的硅源和可溶性硅酸（两种钾含量的叶面施用的硅源）对钾肥对粉红色pink虫（PSB）的发生和危害的功效。小麦在田间条件下持续两个季节。还研究了这些硅源和钾水平对光合作用，产量和相关参数的影响。在300 kg ha ^-1的土壤条件下施用DE可以显着降低PSB的发生，白穗病危害率最低，谷物单产最高，为3.31 t ha ^-1。土壤和叶面都施用了硅源以及钾@ 36 kg ha ^-1与未经处理的对照（不施用硅）相比，显着提高了净光合速率，气孔导度，水分利用效率，细胞间CO ₂浓度，穗长，穗重，每个穗粒数，1000粒重，并显着降低了蒸腾速率。和杀虫剂检查。与叶面施用硅源相比，土壤施用硅源显着提高了土壤溶液中植物有效硅含量，从而提高了小麦植物茎组织中的硅含量。最大效益：施用DE @ 150 kg ha ^-1时的成本比（2.03）这比推荐的杀虫检查（1.74）还要多。在田间条件下管理小麦中的PSB方面，两种Si来源均显着优于杀虫检查，并改善了光合作用，产量和相关参数，可以与其他实践相结合，以实现小麦中PSB的可持续，生态友好管理。