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Khan AL. Silicon: A valuable soil element for improving plant growth and CO 2 sequestration. J Adv Res 2024:S2090-1232(24)00217-0. [PMID: 38806098 DOI: 10.1016/j.jare.2024.05.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2023] [Revised: 05/21/2024] [Accepted: 05/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/30/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Silicon (Si), the second most abundant and quasi-essential soil element, is locked as a recalcitrant silicate mineral in the Earth's crust. The physical abundance of silicates can play an essential role in increasing plant productivity. Plants store Si as biogenic silica (phytoliths), which is mobilized through a chemical weathering process in the soil. AIM OF REVIEW Although Si is a critical element for plant growth, there is still a considerable need to understand its dissolution, uptake, and translocation in agroecosystems. Here, we show recent progress in understanding the interactome of Si, CO2, the microbiome, and soil chemistry, which can sustainably govern silicate dissolution and cycling in agriculture. KEY SCIENTIFIC CONCEPTS OF THIS REVIEW Si cycling is directly related to carbon cycling, and the resulting climate stability can be enhanced by negative feedback between atmospheric CO2 and the silicate uptake process. Improved Si mobilization in the rhizosphere by the presence of reactive elements (for example, Ca, Na, Al, Zn, and Fe) and Si uptake through genetic transporters in plants are crucial to achieving the dual objectives of (i) enhancing crop productivity and (ii) abiotic stress tolerance. Furthermore, the microbiome is a symbiotic partner of plants. Bacterial and fungal microbiomes can solubilize silicate minerals through intriguingly complex bioweathering mechanisms by producing beneficial metabolites and enzymes. However, the interaction of Si with CO2 and the microbiome's function in mobilization have been understudied. This review shows that enhancing our understanding of Si, CO2, the microbiome, and soil chemistry can help in sustainable crop production during climatic stress events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdul Latif Khan
- Department of Engineering Technology, University of Houston, Sugar Land, TX, USA; Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Houston TX, USA.
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Shen Q, Ranathunge K, Lambers H, Finnegan PM. Adenanthos species (Proteaceae) in phosphorus-impoverished environments use a variety of phosphorus-acquisition strategies and achieve high-phosphorus-use efficiency. ANNALS OF BOTANY 2024; 133:483-494. [PMID: 38198749 PMCID: PMC11006540 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcae005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Soils in south-western Australia are severely phosphorus (P) impoverished, and plants in this region have evolved a variety of P-acquisition strategies. Phosphorus acquisition by Adenanthos cygnorum (Proteaceae) is facilitated by P-mobilizing neighbours which allows it to extend its range of habitats. However, we do not know if other Adenanthos species also exhibit a strategy based on facilitation for P acquisition in P-impoverished environments. METHODS We collected leaf and soil samples of Adenanthosbarbiger, A. cuneatus, A.meisneri,A. obovatus, A. sericeus and Adenanthos sp. Whicher Range (G.J. Keighery 9736) growing in their natural habitats at different locations within the severely P-limited megadiverse environment of south-western Australia. Hydroponic experiments were conducted to collect the carboxylates exuded by cluster roots. Pot experiments in soil were carried out to measure rhizosheath phosphatase activity. KEY RESULTS We found no evidence for facilitation of P uptake in any of the studied Adenanthos species. Like most Proteaceae, A. cuneatus, A. meisneri, A. obovatus, A. sericeus and Adenanthos sp. Whicher Range (G.J. Keighery 9736) expressed P-mining strategies, including the formation of cluster roots. Cluster roots of A. obovatus were less effective than those of the other four Adenanthos species. In contrast to what is known for most Proteaceae, we found no cluster roots for A. barbiger. This species probably expressed a post-fire P-acquisition strategy. All Adenanthos species used P highly efficiently for photosynthesis, like other Proteaceae in similar natural habitats. CONCLUSIONS Adenanthos is the first genus of Proteaceae found to express multiple P-acquisition strategies. The diversity of P-acquisition strategies in these Proteaceae, coupled with similarly diverse strategies in Fabaceae and Myrtaceae, demonstrates that caution is needed in making family- or genus-wide extrapolations about the strategies exhibited in severely P-impoverished megadiverse ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Shen
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6009, Australia
| | - Kosala Ranathunge
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6009, Australia
| | - Hans Lambers
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6009, Australia
| | - Patrick M Finnegan
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6009, Australia
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Etesami H, Jeong BR, Maathuis FJM, Schaller J. Exploring the potential: Can arsenic (As) resistant silicate-solubilizing bacteria manage the dual effects of silicon on As accumulation in rice? THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 903:166870. [PMID: 37690757 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2023] [Revised: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023]
Abstract
Rice (Oryza sativa L.) cultivation in regions marked by elevated arsenic (As) concentrations poses significant health concerns due to As uptake by the plant and its subsequent entry into the human food chain. With rice serving as a staple crop for a substantial share of the global population, addressing this issue is critical for food security. In flooded paddy soils, where As availability is pronounced, innovative strategies to reduce As uptake and enhance agricultural sustainability are mandatory. Silicon (Si) and Si nanoparticles have emerged as potential candidates to mitigate As accumulation in rice. However, their effects on As uptake exhibit complexity, influenced by initial Si levels in the soil and the amount of Si introduced through fertilization. While low Si additions may inadvertently increase As uptake, higher Si concentrations may alleviate As uptake and toxicity. The interplay among existing Si and As availability, Si supplementation, and soil biogeochemistry collectively shapes the outcome. Adding water-soluble Si fertilizers (e.g., Na2SiO3 and K2SiO3) has demonstrated efficacy in mitigating As toxicity stress in rice. Nonetheless, the expense associated with these fertilizers underscores the necessity for low cost innovative solutions. Silicate-solubilizing bacteria (SSB) resilient to As hold promise by enhancing Si availability by accelerating mineral dissolution within the rhizosphere, thereby regulating the Si biogeochemical cycle in paddy soils. Promoting SSB could make cost-effective Si sources more soluble and, consequently, managing the intricate interplay of Si's dual effects on As accumulation in rice. This review paper offers a comprehensive exploration of Si's nuanced role in modulating As uptake by rice, emphasizing the potential synergy between As-resistant SSB and Si availability enhancement. By shedding light on this interplay, we aspire to shed light on an innovative attempt for reducing As accumulation in rice while advancing agricultural sustainability.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Byoung Ryong Jeong
- Division of Applied Life Science, Graduate School, Gyeongsang National University, Republic of Korea 52828
| | | | - Jörg Schaller
- "Silicon Biogeochemistry" Working Group, Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF), 15374 Müncheberg, Germany
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Liu S, Ji X, Chen Z, Xie Y, Ji S, Wang X, Pan S. Silicon facilitated the physical barrier and adsorption of cadmium of iron plaque by changing the biochemical composition to reduce cadmium absorption of rice roots. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2023; 256:114879. [PMID: 37037106 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2023.114879] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2022] [Revised: 03/13/2023] [Accepted: 04/04/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Silicon effectively inhibits cadmium (Cd) uptake in rice, iron plaque on root surface was the primary link and first interface of Cd entering into rice root. To elucidate the mechanism of iron plaque under silicon treatment on root Cd uptake, the morphological characteristics of iron plaque, mechanisms of Cd adsorption of iron plaque and effect of iron plaque on Cd uptake by rice roots of Yuzhenxiang (YZX) and Xiangwanxian (XWX) rice varieties were studied by employing energy spectrum analysis technique, non-invasive micro-test technique, and isothermal-kinetic adsorption method. Scanning electron microscopy-X-ray energy dispersive (SEM-EDX) analysis showed that denser crystal structure of iron plaque was observed at Si treatment, silicon promoted the thickening of iron plaque and strengthened the isolation of iron plaque to Cd, which reduced the Cd content of white roots of YZX and XWX varieties by 30.2% and 20.9% respectively. However, the blocking effect of iron plaque on Cd was weakened under silicon treatment with iron plaque removed, Cd content in iron plaque of YZX and XWX cultivars was significantly decreased by 36.3% and 18.4%, Cd concentrations in white root and shoot was significantly increased, and the influxes of Cd2+ at elongation and maturation zone of root were increased in multiples. The results of adsorption test showed that the adsorption process of iron plaque was mainly a monolayer adsorption completed by boundary diffusion. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) results demonstrated that silicon changed the biochemical composition of iron plaque and increased the density of the carbon-oxygen bound groups on iron plaque, which is the most likely reasons for the higher affinity of Cd adsorption ability of iron plaque observed in the silicon treated iron plaque. This study suggested the silicon-facilitated iron plaque have played critical effects in controlling the Cd accumulation in rice roots by changing the morphology and chemical composition of iron plaque.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saihua Liu
- Key Lab of Prevention, Control and Remediation of Soil Heavy Metal Pollution, Hunan Institute of Agro-Environment and Ecology, Hunan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changsha 410125, China
| | - Xionghui Ji
- Key Lab of Prevention, Control and Remediation of Soil Heavy Metal Pollution, Hunan Institute of Agro-Environment and Ecology, Hunan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changsha 410125, China
| | - Zhiliang Chen
- South China Institute of Environmental Science, MEE, Guangzhou 510700, China
| | - Yunhe Xie
- Key Lab of Prevention, Control and Remediation of Soil Heavy Metal Pollution, Hunan Institute of Agro-Environment and Ecology, Hunan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changsha 410125, China
| | - Shengying Ji
- Hunan Vegetable Research Institute, Changsha 410125, China
| | - Xin Wang
- School of Geographical Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, China
| | - Shufang Pan
- Key Lab of Prevention, Control and Remediation of Soil Heavy Metal Pollution, Hunan Institute of Agro-Environment and Ecology, Hunan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changsha 410125, China.
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de Tombeur F, Raven JA, Toussaint A, Lambers H, Cooke J, Hartley SE, Johnson SN, Coq S, Katz O, Schaller J, Violle C. Why do plants silicify? Trends Ecol Evol 2023; 38:275-288. [PMID: 36428125 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2022.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Revised: 10/30/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Despite seminal papers that stress the significance of silicon (Si) in plant biology and ecology, most studies focus on manipulations of Si supply and mitigation of stresses. The ecological significance of Si varies with different levels of biological organization, and remains hard to capture. We show that the costs of Si accumulation are greater than is currently acknowledged, and discuss potential links between Si and fitness components (growth, survival, reproduction), environment, and ecosystem functioning. We suggest that Si is more important in trait-based ecology than is currently recognized. Si potentially plays a significant role in many aspects of plant ecology, but knowledge gaps prevent us from understanding its possible contribution to the success of some clades and the expansion of specific biomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Félix de Tombeur
- CEFE, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, Montpellier, France; School of Biological Sciences and Institute of Agriculture, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia.
| | - John A Raven
- Division of Plant Science, University of Dundee at the James Hutton Institute, Invergowrie, UK; School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia; Climate Change Cluster, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, Australia
| | - Aurèle Toussaint
- Department of Botany, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Hans Lambers
- School of Biological Sciences and Institute of Agriculture, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
| | - Julia Cooke
- School of Environment, Earth and Ecosystem Sciences, The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK
| | - Sue E Hartley
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Scott N Johnson
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, Australia
| | - Sylvain Coq
- CEFE, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, Montpellier, France
| | - Ofir Katz
- Dead Sea and Arava Science Center, Mount Masada, Tamar Regional Council, Israel; Eilat Campus, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Eilat, Israel
| | - Jörg Schaller
- Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF), Müncheberg, Germany
| | - Cyrille Violle
- CEFE, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, Montpellier, France
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Johnson SN, Vandegeer RK, Borevitz JO, Hartley SE, Tissue DT, Hall CR. Climatic Drivers of Silicon Accumulation in a Model Grass Operate in Low- but Not High-Silicon Soils. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 12:995. [PMID: 36903856 PMCID: PMC10005694 DOI: 10.3390/plants12050995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2023] [Revised: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Grasses are hyper-accumulators of silicon (Si), which is known to alleviate diverse environmental stresses, prompting speculation that Si accumulation evolved in response to unfavourable climatic conditions, including seasonally arid environments. We conducted a common garden experiment using 57 accessions of the model grass Brachypodium distachyon, sourced from different Mediterranean locations, to test relationships between Si accumulation and 19 bioclimatic variables. Plants were grown in soil with either low or high (Si supplemented) levels of bioavailable Si. Si accumulation was negatively correlated with temperature variables (annual mean diurnal temperature range, temperature seasonality, annual temperature range) and precipitation seasonality. Si accumulation was positively correlated with precipitation variables (annual precipitation, precipitation of the driest month and quarter, and precipitation of the warmest quarter). These relationships, however, were only observed in low-Si soils and not in Si-supplemented soils. Our hypothesis that accessions of B. distachyon from seasonally arid conditions have higher Si accumulation was not supported. On the contrary, higher temperatures and lower precipitation regimes were associated with lower Si accumulation. These relationships were decoupled in high-Si soils. These exploratory results suggest that geographical origin and prevailing climatic conditions may play a role in predicting patterns of Si accumulation in grasses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott N. Johnson
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia
| | - Rebecca K. Vandegeer
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia
| | - Justin O. Borevitz
- Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Susan E. Hartley
- School of Biosciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK
| | - David T. Tissue
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia
| | - Casey R. Hall
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia
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Nakamura R, Watanabe T, Onoda Y. Contrasting Silicon Dynamics Between Aboveground Vegetation and Soil Along a Secondary Successional Gradient in a Cool-temperate Deciduous Forest. Ecosystems 2023. [DOI: 10.1007/s10021-022-00816-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
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de Tombeur F, Lemoine T, Violle C, Fréville H, Thorne S, Hartley SE, Lambers H, Fort F. Nitrogen availability and plant-plant interactions drive leaf silicon concentration in wheat genotypes. Funct Ecol 2022; 36:2833-2844. [PMID: 36606113 PMCID: PMC9804457 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.14170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2022] [Accepted: 08/06/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Estimating plasticity of leaf silicon (Si) in response to abiotic and biotic factors underpins our comprehension of plant defences and stress resistance in natural and agroecosystems. However, how nitrogen (N) addition and intraspecific plant-plant interactions affect Si concentration remains unclear.We grew 19 durum wheat genotypes (Triticum turgidum ssp. durum) in pots, either alone or in intra- or intergenotypic cultures of two individuals, and with or without N. Above-ground biomass, plant height and leaf [Si] were quantified at the beginning of the flowering stage.Nitrogen addition decreased leaf [Si] for most genotypes, proportionally to the biomass increase. Si plasticity to plant-plant interactions varied significantly among genotypes, with both increases and decreases in leaf [Si] when mixed with a neighbour, regardless of the mixture type (intra-/intergenotype). Besides, increased leaf [Si] in response to plant-plant interactions was associated with increased plant height.Our results suggest the occurrence of both facilitation and competition for Si uptake from the rhizosphere in wheat mixtures. Future research should identify which leaf and root traits characterise facilitating neighbours for Si acquisition. We also show that Si could be involved in height gain in response to intraspecific competition, possibly for increasing light capture. This important finding opens up new research directions on Si and plant-plant interactions in both natural ecosystems and agroecosystems. More generally, our results stress the need to explore leaf Si plasticity in responses to both abiotic and biotic factors to understand plant stress resistance. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felix de Tombeur
- CEFE, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRDMontpellierFrance,School of Biological Sciences and Institute of AgricultureThe University of Western AustraliaPerthWAAustralia
| | - Taïna Lemoine
- CEFE, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRDMontpellierFrance,AGAP, Univ Montpellier, CIRAD, INRAE, Institut AgroMontpellierFrance
| | - Cyrille Violle
- CEFE, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRDMontpellierFrance
| | - Hélène Fréville
- AGAP, Univ Montpellier, CIRAD, INRAE, Institut AgroMontpellierFrance
| | - Sarah J. Thorne
- Department of BiologyUniversity of YorkYorkUK,School of BiosciencesUniversity of SheffieldSheffieldUK
| | | | - Hans Lambers
- School of Biological Sciences and Institute of AgricultureThe University of Western AustraliaPerthWAAustralia
| | - Florian Fort
- CEFE, Univ. Montpellier, L'Institut agro, CNRS, EPHE, IRDMontpellierFrance
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Abstract
Tremendous progress has been made on molecular aspects of plant phosphorus (P) nutrition, often without heeding information provided by soil scientists, ecophysiologists, and crop physiologists. This review suggests ways to integrate information from different disciplines. When soil P availability is very low, P-mobilizing strategies are more effective than mycorrhizal strategies. Soil parameters largely determine how much P roots can acquire from P-impoverished soil, and kinetic properties of P transporters are less important. Changes in the expression of P transporters avoid P toxicity. Plants vary widely in photosynthetic P-use efficiency, photosynthesis per unit leaf P. The challenge is to discover what the trade-offs are of different patterns of investment in P fractions. Less investment may save P, but are costs incurred? Are these costs acceptable for crops? These questions can be resolved only by the concerted action of scientists working at both molecular and physiological levels, rather than pursuing these problems independently.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hans Lambers
- School of Biological Sciences and Institute of Agriculture, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia;
- Department of Plant Nutrition, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, National Academy of Agriculture Green Development, Key Laboratory of Plant-Soil Interactions, Ministry of Education, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
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