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Role of Silicon and Biochar in Plant Stress Tolerance
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Role of Silicon and Biochar in Plant Stress Tolerance

A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Plant Sciences".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 April 2025 | Viewed by 19524

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Kunzheng Cai

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Natural Resources and Environment, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
Interests: silicon; biochar; rice; drought; soilborne disease; heavy metals; stress physiology; agroecology; nutrient management
Prof. Dr. Haijun Gong

E-Mail Website1 Website2
Guest Editor
College of Horticulture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
Interests: physiological and molecular basis of plants’ adaptation to abiotic stresses; plant nutrition uptake and transport
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues, 

By 2050, the world's population is expected to reach 9.7 billion. Thus, it is essential to ensure sufficient crops to feed the growing world population. However, biotic and abiotic stresses such as drought, floods, salinity, heavy metal, diseases, and pests pose a huge threat to sustainable food production. Silicon is the second most abundant element in the Earth’s crust and plays a positive role in stimulating plant growth and enhancing plant resistance against various stresses. Biochar, the solid product obtained from the pyrolysis of bio-organic materials under oxygen deficiency or oxygen limitation, is attracting increasing attention due to its potential in carbon sequestration, soil improvement, and enhanced plant stress tolerance under biotic and abiotic stress. In addition to carbon (C), silicon (Si) is a principal component of biochar. Both silicon and biochar have many similar functions in alleviating the adverse effects of environmental stress on plants. Therefore, the effect of C and/or Si on plant growth under biotic and abiotic stress is increasingly attracting the attention of many researchers. This Special Issue will highlight the role and mechanisms of Si/biochar/C-Si coupling in enhancing plant resist resistance against abiotic stresses such as salinity, drought, extremes in temperature, nutrient deficiency, and metal toxicity, and biotic stresses such as disease and pests. 

Prof. Dr. Kunzheng Cai
Prof. Dr. Haijun Gong
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • silicon
  • biochar
  • silica nanoparticles
  • disease resistance
  • salinity
  • drought
  • heavy metal stress
  • plant growth

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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12 pages, 2686 KiB  
Article
Silicon Controls Bacterial Wilt Disease in Tomato Plants and Inhibits the Virulence-Related Gene Expression of Ralstonia solanacearum
by Lei Wang, Yang Gao, Nihao Jiang, Jian Yan, Weipeng Lin and Kunzheng Cai
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(13), 6965; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23136965 - 23 Jun 2022
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 3537
Abstract
Silicon (Si) has a multifunctional role in improving plant growth and enhancing plant disease resistance, but its mechanisms are not fully understood. In this study, we investigated the impacts of silicon application on the control of bacterial wilt and elucidated the molecular mechanisms [...] Read more.
Silicon (Si) has a multifunctional role in improving plant growth and enhancing plant disease resistance, but its mechanisms are not fully understood. In this study, we investigated the impacts of silicon application on the control of bacterial wilt and elucidated the molecular mechanisms using transcriptome sequencing. Compared to non-Si treatment, Si application (0.5–2 mM) significantly reduces tomato bacterial wilt index by 46.31–72.23%. However, Si does not influence the growth of R. solanacearum. Si application negatively influences R. solanacearum exopolysaccharide (EPS) synthesis and biofilm formation. Transcriptome analysis showed that Si treatment significantly downregulates the expression of virulence genes’ transcriptional regulator (xpsR), EPS synthesis-related genes (epsD and tek), and type III effectors (HrpB2, SpaO, and EscR) in R. solanacearum. In addition, Si remarkably upregulates the expression of twitch motor-related genes (pilE2, pilE, fimT, and PilX). These findings suggest that silicon-suppressed tomato wilt incidence may be due to the regulation of the virulence-related genes of R. solanacearum by Si. Our research adds new knowledge to the application of Si in the field of disease control. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Role of Silicon and Biochar in Plant Stress Tolerance)
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21 pages, 4551 KiB  
Article
Deciphering the Molecular Mechanisms of Chilling Tolerance in Lsi1-Overexpressing Rice
by Zhong Li, Muhammad Umar Khan, Xue Yan, Dan Mu, Yuebin Xie, Muhammad Waqas, Xin Wu, Puleng Letuma, Changxun Fang and Wenxiong Lin
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(9), 4667; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23094667 - 23 Apr 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2371
Abstract
Improving tolerance to low-temperature stress during the rice seedling stage is of great significance in agricultural science. In this study, using the low silicon gene 1 (Lsi1)-overexpressing (Dular-OE) and wild-type rice (Dular-WT), we showed that Lsi1 overexpression enhances chilling tolerance in [...] Read more.
Improving tolerance to low-temperature stress during the rice seedling stage is of great significance in agricultural science. In this study, using the low silicon gene 1 (Lsi1)-overexpressing (Dular-OE) and wild-type rice (Dular-WT), we showed that Lsi1 overexpression enhances chilling tolerance in Dular-OE. The overexpression of the Lsi1 increases silicon absorption, but it was not the main reason for chilling tolerance in Dular-OE. Instead, our data suggest that the overexpression of a Lsi1-encoding NIP and its interaction with key proteins lead to chilling tolerance in Dular-OE. Additionally, we show that the high-mobility group protein (HMG1) binds to the promoter of Lsi1, positively regulating its expression. Moreover, Nod26-like major intrinsic protein (NIP)’s interaction with α and β subunits of ATP synthase and the 14-3-3f protein was validated by co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP), bimolecular fluorescent complementary (BiFC), and GST-pulldown assays. Western blotting revealed that the overexpression of NIP positively regulates the ATP-synthase subunits that subsequently upregulate calcineurin B-like interacting protein kinases (CIPK) negatively regulating 14-3-3f. Overall, these NIP-mediated changes trigger corresponding pathways in an orderly manner, enhancing chilling tolerance in Dular-OE. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Role of Silicon and Biochar in Plant Stress Tolerance)
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21 pages, 8586 KiB  
Article
Foliar Silicon Spray before Summer Cutting Propagation Enhances Resistance to Powdery Mildew of Daughter Plants
by Jie Xiao, Yali Li and Byoung Ryong Jeong
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(7), 3803; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23073803 - 30 Mar 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2720
Abstract
Silicon (Si) has beneficial effects on not only plant growth but also against biotic and abiotic stresses. However, a few studies focus on how Si application helps strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch.) resist powdery mildew. The aim of this work was to [...] Read more.
Silicon (Si) has beneficial effects on not only plant growth but also against biotic and abiotic stresses. However, a few studies focus on how Si application helps strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch.) resist powdery mildew. The aim of this work was to find out the optimal Si application method before cutting propagation to enhance the resistance to powdery mildew in strawberry “daughter” plants. Naturally infected “mother” plants of ‘Sulhyang’, ‘Maehyang’, and ‘Kuemsil’ strawberries were supplied with Si. Potassium silicate (K2SiO3) at a final concentration of 75 mg·L−1 Si was either added to the medium for drenching or sprayed to the leaves of the “mother” or “daughter” plant, or soluble Si fertilizer was used to dress the “mother” plant. The Si application significantly increased the shoot fresh weight of the “daughter” plants. Supplemental Si also increased the contents of phosphorus (P), potassium (K), and magnesium (Mg). In addition, the Si treatment decreased the damage of powdery mildew by increased level of proline content and suppressive reactive oxygen species. After applying Si, the length and density of hyphae on the leaf surface decreased. In addition, the infected area of “daughter” plant leaves covered with powdery mildew decreased. This study also demonstrated that Si increased the expression of resistance-gene and decreased the expression of susceptibility-gene of strawberry. Overall, Si application promoted the growth of the “daughter” plants regardless of the application method. Direct foliar Si spray to the “daughter” plants before cutting propagation is recommended to increase their resistance to powdery mildew. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Role of Silicon and Biochar in Plant Stress Tolerance)
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Review

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16 pages, 1356 KiB  
Review
Role of Silica Nanoparticles in Abiotic and Biotic Stress Tolerance in Plants: A Review
by Lei Wang, Chuanchuan Ning, Taowen Pan and Kunzheng Cai
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(4), 1947; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23041947 - 9 Feb 2022
Cited by 97 | Viewed by 9634
Abstract
The demand for agricultural crops continues to escalate with the rapid growth of the population. However, extreme climates, pests and diseases, and environmental pollution pose a huge threat to agricultural food production. Silica nanoparticles (SNPs) are beneficial for plant growth and production and [...] Read more.
The demand for agricultural crops continues to escalate with the rapid growth of the population. However, extreme climates, pests and diseases, and environmental pollution pose a huge threat to agricultural food production. Silica nanoparticles (SNPs) are beneficial for plant growth and production and can be used as nanopesticides, nanoherbicides, and nanofertilizers in agriculture. This article provides a review of the absorption and transportation of SNPs in plants, as well as their role and mechanisms in promoting plant growth and enhancing plant resistance against biotic and abiotic stresses. In general, SNPs induce plant resistance against stress factors by strengthening the physical barrier, improving plant photosynthesis, activating defensive enzyme activity, increasing anti-stress compounds, and activating the expression of defense-related genes. The effect of SNPs on plants stress is related to the physical and chemical properties (e.g., particle size and surface charge) of SNPs, soil, and stress type. Future research needs to focus on the “SNPs–plant–soil–microorganism” system by using omics and the in-depth study of the molecular mechanisms of SNPs-mediated plant resistance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Role of Silicon and Biochar in Plant Stress Tolerance)
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