Increasing plant resistance with silicon applications

Abstract

The mineral element silicon, accumulated in the leaves and roots of various plants, plays a crucial role in increasing resistance to various biotic and abiotic stresses. Although considered a mineral element that is not essential for plant life, silicon provides significant benefits. This mineral accumulated in tissues provides increased resistance of cells to mechanical stresses, reduced water loss through transpiration, increased resistance to sunlight, and reduced metal toxicity and salt stresses. Plants accumulate silicon differently, depending on their root type and functionality. Molecular studies have made it possible to identify the genes responsible for silicon accumulation. In the future, advances in this field could improve techniques for studying the mechanisms involved in silicon uptake, not only by increasing its availability within tissues but also by improving its storage capacity. Unfortunately, many plants cannot absorb silicon and, therefore, cannot benefit from the mechanisms that lead to increased resistance to various biotic and abiotic stresses. This review aims to highlight the benefits obtainable with the use of silicon in those plants capable of absorbing it, particularly in the control of biotic and abiotic stresses.

Plant extracts from mediterranean vegetation in the cultivation and defence of Plectranthus coleidos and Plectranthus amboinicus

“…Several examples illustrate the positive effects of PDBs on growth and yield, as well as physiological and biochemical characteristics of several horticultural crops. Studies have shown that licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra) root extract improves: (a) growth and yield along with improved P content while mitigating the negative effects of salinity stress in beans [17], (b) nutritional and hormonal change in leaves of pears [18,19], (c) almond seedling vegetative growth [20,21], and (d) fennel growth, essential oil, and phytochemical content [22] when combined with fertilizant. Similar to carrot root extract, cowpea (Vigna sinensis) seedlings grown under salt stress showed increased growth, physiological processes, and phytochemical concentrations [23].…”

Transcriptomic and biochemical insights into fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) responses on silicon-treated maize

“…Given these challenges, there is a pressing need for sustainable, alternative methods of pest management that are both effective and eco-friendly. One such method gaining interest is the use of silicon (Si), an abundant element known to enhance plant resistance to against both biotic and abiotic stress ( Ul Haq et al, 2023 ; Zia et al, 2023 ; Ahmad et al, 2023 ), while silicon is generally considered non-toxic to plants at lower concentrations and is an essential element for their growth ( Prisa, 2023 ; Manzoor et al, 2023 ). At specific higher concentrations, silicon can be toxic to both plants and insects ( Yuvaraj et al, 2023 ).…”

Novel insights into the mechanism(s) of silicon-induced drought stress tolerance in lentil plants revealed by RNA sequencing analysis

“…Silicon alleviates drought stress in both monocot and dicot plants by modulating physiological and biochemical mechanisms [12,[15][16][17][18][19], but the underlying molecular mechanisms of its effect remain poorly understood. In plants, Si modulates complex metabolic activities including, photosynthesis, osmotic adjustments, antioxidant metabolism, phytohormonal interactions and metabolism related to protein, carbohydrates, lipids, and secondary metabolites under abiotic stress environments [20][21][22][23][24]. The ameliorative effects of Si on abiotic stresses have been investigated at the molecular levels in plants [25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32].…”