“…Positive responses resulting from Si application are attributed to Si deposition in plant epidermal cells, which promotes mechanical defence (Massey & Hartley, ). In addition, Si‐based resistance is reported to be associated with the production of defensive substances such as oxidative enzymes, phytoalexins, lignin and suberin, compounds that are intimately related to plant resistance against pathogen infection and herbivore attack both above‐ (Han et al., ; Ma & Yamaji, ) and belowground (Frew, Allsopp, Gherlenda, & Johnson, ). Finally, Si was reported to alleviate the negative abiotic effects of salinity (Liu et al., ), drought (Chen, Yao, Cai, & Chen, ) and heavy metal toxicity (Farooq, Detterbeck, Clemens, & Dietz, ) in plants.…”