The role of silicon (Si) in increasing plant resistance against fungal diseases

Abstract

Summary The use of silicon (Si) in agriculture has attracted a great deal of interest from researchers because of the numerous benefits of this element to plants. The use of silicon has decreased the intensity of several diseases in crops of great economic importance. In this study, the relationship between silicon nutrition and fungal disease development in plants was reviewed. The current review underlines the agricultural importance of silicon in crops, the potential for controlling fungal plant pathogens by silicon treatment, the different mechanisms of silicon-enhanced resistance, and the inhibitory effects of silicon on plant pathogenic fungi in vitro. By combining the data presented in this paper, a better comprehension of the relationship between silicon treatments, increasing plant resistance, and decreasing severity of fungal diseases could be achieved.

Role of Silicon on Plant–Pathogen Interactions

“…The beneficial effects of Si with regard to plant resistance to disease are attributed to Si accumulation in epidermal tissue, the formation of complexes with organic compounds in cell walls, the induction of phenolic compounds, phytolexin/glucanase/peroxidase production, and regulating pathogenicity or stress-related gene expression to limit pathogen invasion and colonization (Belanger et al, 2003; Brunings et al, 2009; Chain et al, 2009; Sakr, 2016). The effect of Si on plant–microbe interactions and related physical, biochemical, and molecular resistance mechanisms have been demonstrated in Table 1 and will be detailed discussed in the following section.…”

The role of silicon (Si) in increasing plant resistance against insect pests review article

“…Biochemical changes due to silicon absorption could diminish the quality of phloem sap and affect pest insect development criteria (Reynolds et al, 2009(Reynolds et al, , 2016Liang et al, 2015a). Many biochemical mechanisms of defense to insect pest infestation are shared with those against plant pathogenic fungi (Van Bockhaven et al, 2013;Sakr 2016b). Regarding all studies demonstrating the positive effect of silicon on insect pest preference, it is evident that the role of biochemical resistance was less important than physical defense (Reynolds et al, 2009(Reynolds et al, , 2016Liang et al, 2015a).…”

Fertilización complementada con sílice en la resistencia del tomate a Fusarium oxysporum Schtdl.

“…El efecto de la aplicación de sílice en la reducción de enfermedades en dicotiledóneas como fresa, soya, rosa y tomate ha sido documentada por Pozza et al (2015); esto es importante, especialmente sobre inocuidad y producción orgánica (Gunes et al, 2007). Son dos las hipótesis que explican el incremento de la resistencia a enfermedades, debido a la aplicación de Si, la primera propone que se forma una barrera física que impide la penetración del patógeno y la segunda, que el Si está asociado a una actividad biológica relacionada con la expresión de mecanismos de defensa natural (Sakr, 2016). Con respecto a la primera hipótesis, Urrestarazu et al (2016) reportaron, en un estudio histológico realizado en tomate, que la aplicación de sílice aumentó el grosor de la cutícula en hojas y tallos.…”

“…tejido epidérmico, al inducir resistencia e inhibición del desarrollo de la enfermedad (Sakr, 2016). El objetivo del presente trabajo fue evaluar el efecto de la fertilización complementada con sílice sobre la resistencia de tomate a F. oxysporum.…”