Silicon alleviates salinity stress in licorice (Glycyrrhiza uralensis) by regulating carbon and nitrogen metabolism

The Physiological and Molecular Mechanisms of Silicon Action in Salt Stress Amelioration

Salinity is one of the most common abiotic stress factors affecting different biochemical and physiological processes in plants, inhibiting plant growth, and greatly reducing productivity. During the last decade, silicon (Si) supplementation was intensively studied and now is proposed as one of the most convincing methods to improve plant tolerance to salt stress. In this review, we discuss recent papers investigating the role of Si in modulating molecular, biochemical, and physiological processes that are negatively affected by high salinity. Although multiple reports have demonstrated the beneficial effects of Si application in mitigating salt stress, the exact molecular mechanism underlying these effects is not yet well understood. In this review, we focus on the localisation of Si transporters and the mechanism of Si uptake, accumulation, and deposition to understand the role of Si in various relevant physiological processes. Further, we discuss the role of Si supplementation in antioxidant response, maintenance of photosynthesis efficiency, and production of osmoprotectants. Additionally, we highlight crosstalk of Si with other ions, lignin, and phytohormones. Finally, we suggest some directions for future work, which could improve our understanding of the role of Si in plants under salt stress.

Silicic and Ascorbic Acid Induced Modulations in Photosynthetic, Mineral Uptake, and Yield Attributes of Mung Bean (Vigna radiata L. Wilczek) under Ozone Stress

Most of the world's crop production and plant growth are anticipated to be seriously threatened by the increasing tropospheric ozone (O₃) levels. The current study demonstrates how different mung bean genotypes reacted to the elevated level of O₃ in the presence of exogenous ascorbic and silicic acid treatments. It is the first report to outline the potential protective effects of ascorbic and silicic acid applications against O₃ toxicity in 12 mung bean {Vigna radiata (L.) Wilken} varieties. Under controlled circumstances, the present investigation was conducted in a glass house. There were four different treatments used: control (ambient O₃ concentration of 40-45 ppb), elevated O₃ (120 ppb), elevated O₃ with silicic acid (0.1 mM), and elevated O₃ with ascorbic acid (10 mM). Three varieties, viz. NM 20-21, NM 2006, and NM 2016, showcased tolerance to O₃ toxicity. Our findings showed that ascorbic and silicic acid applications gradually increased yield characteristics such as seed yield, harvest index, days to maturity, and characteristics related to gas exchange such as transpiration rate, stomatal conductance, net photosynthetic activity, and water-use efficiency. Compared to the control, applying both growth regulators enhanced the mineral uptake across all treatments. Based on the findings of the current study, it is concluded that the subject mung bean genotypes responded to silicic acid treatment more efficiently than ascorbic acid to mitigate the harmful effects of O₃ stress.

Effect of Mn Deficiency on Carbon and Nitrogen Metabolism of Different Genotypes Seedlings in Maize (Zea mays L.)

Manganese deficiency critically impairs the function and stability of photosystem II (PSII) and negatively impacts crop growth and yield. However, the response mechanisms of carbon and nitrogen metabolism to Mn deficiency in different genotypes of maize and the differences in Mn deficiency tolerance are unclear. Herein, three different genotypes of maize seedlings (sensitive genotype: Mo17, tolerant genotype: B73, and B73 × Mo17) were exposed to Mn deficiency treatment for 16 days using liquid culture with different concentrations of MnSO₄ [0.00, 2.23, 11.65, and 22.30 mg/L (control)]. We found that complete Mn deficiency significantly reduced maize seedling biomass; negatively affected the photosynthetic and chlorophyll fluorescence parameters; and depressed nitrate reductase, glutamine synthetase, and glutamate synthase activity. This resulted in reduced leaf and root nitrogen uptake, with Mo17 being most severely inhibited. B73 and B73 × Mo17 maintained higher sucrose phosphate synthase and sucrose synthase activities and lower neutral convertase activity compared to Mo17, which resulted in higher accumulation of soluble sugars and sucrose and maintenance of the osmoregulation capacity of leaves, which helped mitigate damage caused by Mn deficiency. The findings revealed the physiological regulation mechanism of carbon and nitrogen metabolism in different genotypes of maize seedlings that resist Mn deficiency stress, providing a theoretical basis for developing high yield and quality.

Gibberellic Acid and Silicon Ameliorate NaCl Toxicity in Brassica juncea: Possible Involvement of Antioxidant System and Ascorbate-Glutathione Cycle

This work was carried out to observe the combined impact of exogenous applications of Gibberellic acid (GA₃) and Silicon (Si) on Brassica juncea under salt (NaCl) stress. Application of GA₃ and Si enhanced the antioxidant enzyme activities of (APX, CAT, GR, SOD) in B. juncea seedlings under NaCl toxicity. The exogenous Si application decreased Na⁺ uptake and enhanced the K⁺ and Ca²⁺ in salt stressed B. juncea. Moreover, chlorophyll-a (Chl-a), Chlorophyll-b (Chl-b), total chlorophyll (T-Chl), carotenoids and relative water content (RWC) in the leaves declined under salt stress, which were ameorialated after GA₃ and Si supplementation individually and in combination. Further, the introduction of Si to NaCl treated B. juncea help in alleviating the negative effects of NaCl toxicity on biomass and biochemical activities. The levels of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) increase significantly with NaCl treatments, subsequently resulting in enhanced peroxidation of membrane lipids (MDA) and electrolyte leakage (EL). The reduced levels of H₂O₂ and enhanced antioxidantactivities in Si and GA₃ supplemented plants demonstrated the stress mitigating efficiency. In conclusion, it was observed that Si and GA₃ application alleviated NaCl toxicity in B. juncea plants through enhanced production of different osmolytes and an antioxidant defence mechanism.

Exogenous Hemin alleviates NaCl stress by promoting photosynthesis and carbon metabolism in rice seedlings

It is widely known that salt stress restricts rice growth and productivity severely. However, little information is available regarding the stage of rice seedlings subjected to the Heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1) inducer, Hemin. This study aimed to investigate the effects of salt stress on two rice varieties (Huanghuazhan and Xiangliangyou 900) and the effect of Hemin in promoting photosynthesis, carbohydrate metabolism, and key enzymes under salt-stress conditions. At the stage of three leaves and one heart, Huanghuazhan (HHZ) and Xiangliangyou 900 (XLY900) were sprayed with 5 μmol·L^-1 Hemin and then subjected to 50 mM NaCl stress. The results showed that NaCl stress decreased the contents of chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and carotenoids. Furthermore, the net photosynthetic rate (P_n) decreased remarkably and the starch content was also lowered. However, NaCl treatment enhanced the concentration of sucrose and soluble sugar, simultaneously enhancing the sucrose metabolism. Nevertheless, the foliar spraying of exogenous Hemin mediated the increase in fructose and starch content, along with the activities of key enzymes' soluble acid invertase (SAInv), basic/neutral invertase (A/N-Inv), and sucrose synthase (SS) in rice leaves under NaCl stress. The sucrose phosphate synthase (SPS) in leaves decreased significantly, and the fructose accumulation in leaves increased. Hemin also mediated the increase of starch content and the α-amylase, total amylase, and starch phosphorylase (SP) activities under NaCl stress. Under stress conditions, the application of the Heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1) inhibitor, ZnPP failed to alleviate the damage to rice seedlings by NaCl stress. The ZnPP treatment showed similar tendency to the NaCl treatment on pigment content, gas exchange parameters and carbon metabolism related products and enzymes. However, ZnPP decreased carotenoids, fructose, starch content and enzyme activities related to starch metabolism. The regulation effect of Hemin on HuangHuaZhan was better than XiangLiangYou 900. These results indicate that Hemin improved the effects of salt stress on the photosynthesis and physiological characteristics of rice leaves as a result of enhanced carbohydrate metabolism. Thus, Hemin could alleviate the damage caused by salt stress to a certain extent.

A Recent Update on the Impact of Nano-Selenium on Plant Growth, Metabolism, and Stress Tolerance

Selenium (Se) is a microelement that plays an important nutrient role by influencing various physiological and biochemical traits in plants. It has been shown to stimulate plant metabolism, enhancing secondary metabolites and lowering abiotic and biotic stress in plants. Globally, the enormous applications of nanotechnology in the food and agricultural sectors have vastly expanded. Nanoselenium is more active than bulk materials, and various routes of synthesis of Se nanoparticles (Se-NPs) have been reported in which green synthesis using plants is more attractive due to a reduction in ecological issues and an increase in biological activities. The Se-NP-based biofortification is more significant because it increases plant stress tolerance and positively impacts their metabolism. Se-NPs can enhance plant resistance to various oxidative stresses, promote growth, enhance soil nutrient status, enhance plant antioxidant levels, and participate in the transpiration process. Additionally, they use a readily available, biodegradable reducing agent and are ecologically friendly. This review concentrates on notable information on the different modes of Se-NPs' synthesis and characterization, their applications in plant growth, yield, and stress tolerance, and their influence on the metabolic process.

Exogenous nano-silicon application improves ion homeostasis, osmolyte accumulation and palliates oxidative stress in Lens culinaris under NaCl stress

Lentil is one of the highly nutritious legumes but is highly susceptible to salinity stress. Silicon has been known to reduce the effect of various environmental stresses including salinity. Moreover, silicon when applied in its nano-form is expected to augment the beneficial attributes of silicon. However, very little is known regarding the prospect of nano-silicon (nSi) application for alleviating the effect of salinity stress in non-silicified plants like lentil. In this study, the primary objective was to evaluate the efficacy of nSi in the alleviation of NaCl stress during germination and early vegetative stages. In this context, different concentrations of nSi (0, 1, 5, 10 g L-1) was applied along with four different concentrations of NaCl (0, 100, 200, 300 mM). The results indicated the uptake of nSi which was confirmed by the better accumulation of silica in the plant tissues. Most importantly, the enhanced accumulation of silica increased the K+/Na+ ratio of the NaCl-stressed seedlings. Moreover, nSi efficiently improved germination, growth, photosynthetic pigments, and osmotic balance. On the other hand, the relatively reduced activities of antioxidative enzymes were surmounted by the higher activity of non-enzymatic antioxidants which mainly scavenged the increased ROS. Reduced ROS accumulation in return ensured better membrane integrity and reduced electrolyte leakage up on nSi application. Therefore, it can be concluded that the application of nSi (more specifically at 10 g L-1) facilitated the uptake of silica and improved the K+/Na+ ratio to reclaim the growth and physiological status of NaCl-stressed seedlings.

Effects of silicon application on leaf structure and physiological characteristics of Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch. and Glycyrrhiza inflata Bat. under salt treatment

BACKGROUND

Soil salinization leads to a significant decline in crop yield and quality, including licorice, an important medicinal cash crop. Studies have proofed that the application of exogenous silicon can significantly improve the ability of licorice to resist salt stress, however, few studies concentrated on the effects of foliar silicon application on the morphology, physiological characteristics, and anatomical structure of licorice leaves under salt stress. In this study, the effects of Si (K₂SiO₃) on the structural and physiological characteristics of Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch. and G. inflata Bat. leaves under different salt concentrations (medium- and high-salt) were studied.

RESULTS

Compared with the control (without salt), the plant height, total dry weight, leaf area, leaf number, relative water content, xylem area, phloem area, ratio of palisade to spongy tissue, gas exchange parameters, and photosynthetic pigment content of both licorice varieties were significantly reduced under high-salt (12S) conditions. However, the thickness of the leaf, palisade tissue, and spongy tissue increased significantly. Applying Si to the leaf surface increased the area of the vascular bundle, xylem, and parenchyma of the leaf's main vein, promoted water transportation, enhanced the relative leaf water content, and reduced the decomposition of photosynthetic pigments. These changes extended the area of photosynthesis and promoted the production and transportation of organic matter. G. uralensis had a better response to Si application than did G. inflata.

CONCLUSIONS

In conclusion, foliar application of Si can improve water absorption, enhance photosynthesis, improve photosynthetic capacity and transpiration efficiency, promote growth and yield, and alleviate the adverse effects of salt stress on the leaf structure of the two kinds of licorice investigated.

Silicon improves ion homeostasis and growth of liquorice under salt stress by reducing plant Na+ uptake

Silicon (Si) effectively alleviates the effects of salt stress in plants and can enhance salt tolerance in liquorice. However, the mechanisms by which Si improved salt tolerance in liquorice and the effects of foliar application of Si on different liquorice species under salt stress are not fully understood. We investigated the effects of foliar application of Si on the growth, physiological and biochemical characteristics, and ion balance of two liquorice species, Glycyrrhiza uralensis and G. inflata. High salt stress resulted in the accumulation of a large amount of Na⁺, decreased photosynthetic pigment concentrations, perturbed ion homeostasis, and eventually inhibited both liquorice species growth. These effects were more pronounced in G. uralensis, as G. inflata is more salt tolerant than G. uralensis. Foliar application of Si effectively reduced the decomposition of photosynthetic pigments and improved gas exchange parameters, thereby promoting photosynthesis. It also effectively inhibited lipid peroxidation and leaf electrolyte leakage and enhanced osmotic adjustment of the plants. Furthermore, Si application increased the K⁺ concentration and reduced Na⁺ absorption, transport, and accumulation in the plants. The protective effects of Si were more pronounced in G. uralensis than in G. inflata. In conclusion, Si reduces Na⁺ absorption, improves ion balance, and alleviates the negative effects of salt stress in the two liquorice species studied, but the effect is species dependent. These findings may help to develop novel strategies for protecting liquorice plants against salt stress and provide a theoretical basis for the evaluation of salt tolerance and the scientific cultivation of liquorice.

Multidimensional Role of Silicon to Activate Resilient Plant Growth and to Mitigate Abiotic Stress

Sustainable agricultural production is critically antagonistic by fluctuating unfavorable environmental conditions. The introduction of mineral elements emerged as the most exciting and magical aspect, apart from the novel intervention of traditional and applied strategies to defend the abiotic stress conditions. The silicon (Si) has ameliorating impacts by regulating diverse functionalities on enhancing the growth and development of crop plants. Si is categorized as a non-essential element since crop plants accumulate less during normal environmental conditions. Studies on the application of Si in plants highlight the beneficial role of Si during extreme stressful conditions through modulation of several metabolites during abiotic stress conditions. Phytohormones are primary plant metabolites positively regulated by Si during abiotic stress conditions. Phytohormones play a pivotal role in crop plants' broad-spectrum biochemical and physiological aspects during normal and extreme environmental conditions. Frontline phytohormones include auxin, cytokinin, ethylene, gibberellin, salicylic acid, abscisic acid, brassinosteroids, and jasmonic acid. These phytohormones are internally correlated with Si in regulating abiotic stress tolerance mechanisms. This review explores insights into the role of Si in enhancing the phytohormone metabolism and its role in maintaining the physiological and biochemical well-being of crop plants during diverse abiotic stresses. Moreover, in-depth information about Si's pivotal role in inducing abiotic stress tolerance in crop plants through metabolic and molecular modulations is elaborated. Furthermore, the potential of various high throughput technologies has also been discussed in improving Si-induced multiple stress tolerance. In addition, a special emphasis is engrossed in the role of Si in achieving sustainable agricultural growth and global food security.