Silicon Enhances Plant Vegetative Growth and Soil Water Retention of Soybean (<i>Glycine max</i>) Plants under Water-Limiting Conditions
Silicon has been implicated as a factor affecting the degree of resistance to abiotic stresses in several plant species. However, the role of silicon in soybean (<i>Glycine max</i>) under water-limiting conditions is not yet fully understood. This study was conducted to evaluate the effe...
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2022-06-01
|
| Series: | Plants |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/11/13/1687 |
| _version_ | 1797408397029539840 |
|---|---|
| author | Saroj Kumar Sah Kambham Raja Reddy Jiaxu Li |
| author_facet | Saroj Kumar Sah Kambham Raja Reddy Jiaxu Li |
| author_sort | Saroj Kumar Sah |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Silicon has been implicated as a factor affecting the degree of resistance to abiotic stresses in several plant species. However, the role of silicon in soybean (<i>Glycine max</i>) under water-limiting conditions is not yet fully understood. This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of silicon application on the vegetative growth of two soybean cultivars (Asgrow 5332 and Progeny 5333) grown under water-limiting conditions. Silicon was provided by adding silicate to the soil. Water-limiting treatments were imposed on plants at two vegetative growth stages for 20 days by irrigating with a reduced amount of water (66% or 33% of the required water). Silicate application enhanced plant height, leaf area, and total dry weight of soybean plants. Significant increases in root volumes were observed in both the silicate-treated cultivars compared to the control plants under water-limiting conditions (33% irrigation). Net photosynthesis and stomatal conductance were decreased, but the quantum efficiency of photosystem II (Fv’/Fm’) did not change under the same irrigation condition, which indicates photosynthesis downregulation through stomatal limitation. Silicate-treated plants in both cultivars had higher water use efficiency as compared to control plants under water-limiting conditions (irrigated with 66% or 33% of required water). Under water-limiting conditions, the soil moisture content was significantly higher in pots containing silicate than in those without added silicate, suggesting that silicon application improves water holding capacity. Taken together, the results from this study indicate that silicon application can improve the vegetative growth of soybeans under low water conditions by increasing the water use efficiency of plants and enhancing the soil’s ability to retain moisture. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T03:57:52Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c534daf069df45c3b5cb2b9206185d4f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2223-7747 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T03:57:52Z |
| publishDate | 2022-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Plants |
| spelling | doaj.art-c534daf069df45c3b5cb2b9206185d4f2023-12-03T14:17:38ZengMDPI AGPlants2223-77472022-06-011113168710.3390/plants11131687Silicon Enhances Plant Vegetative Growth and Soil Water Retention of Soybean (<i>Glycine max</i>) Plants under Water-Limiting ConditionsSaroj Kumar Sah0Kambham Raja Reddy1Jiaxu Li2Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Entomology and Plant Pathology, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS 39762, USADepartment of Plant and Soil Sciences, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS 39762, USADepartment of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Entomology and Plant Pathology, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS 39762, USASilicon has been implicated as a factor affecting the degree of resistance to abiotic stresses in several plant species. However, the role of silicon in soybean (<i>Glycine max</i>) under water-limiting conditions is not yet fully understood. This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of silicon application on the vegetative growth of two soybean cultivars (Asgrow 5332 and Progeny 5333) grown under water-limiting conditions. Silicon was provided by adding silicate to the soil. Water-limiting treatments were imposed on plants at two vegetative growth stages for 20 days by irrigating with a reduced amount of water (66% or 33% of the required water). Silicate application enhanced plant height, leaf area, and total dry weight of soybean plants. Significant increases in root volumes were observed in both the silicate-treated cultivars compared to the control plants under water-limiting conditions (33% irrigation). Net photosynthesis and stomatal conductance were decreased, but the quantum efficiency of photosystem II (Fv’/Fm’) did not change under the same irrigation condition, which indicates photosynthesis downregulation through stomatal limitation. Silicate-treated plants in both cultivars had higher water use efficiency as compared to control plants under water-limiting conditions (irrigated with 66% or 33% of required water). Under water-limiting conditions, the soil moisture content was significantly higher in pots containing silicate than in those without added silicate, suggesting that silicon application improves water holding capacity. Taken together, the results from this study indicate that silicon application can improve the vegetative growth of soybeans under low water conditions by increasing the water use efficiency of plants and enhancing the soil’s ability to retain moisture.https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/11/13/1687abiotic stresswater deficitvegetative growthroot volumewater retention |
| spellingShingle | Saroj Kumar Sah Kambham Raja Reddy Jiaxu Li Silicon Enhances Plant Vegetative Growth and Soil Water Retention of Soybean (<i>Glycine max</i>) Plants under Water-Limiting Conditions Plants abiotic stress water deficit vegetative growth root volume water retention |
| title | Silicon Enhances Plant Vegetative Growth and Soil Water Retention of Soybean (<i>Glycine max</i>) Plants under Water-Limiting Conditions |
| title_full | Silicon Enhances Plant Vegetative Growth and Soil Water Retention of Soybean (<i>Glycine max</i>) Plants under Water-Limiting Conditions |
| title_fullStr | Silicon Enhances Plant Vegetative Growth and Soil Water Retention of Soybean (<i>Glycine max</i>) Plants under Water-Limiting Conditions |
| title_full_unstemmed | Silicon Enhances Plant Vegetative Growth and Soil Water Retention of Soybean (<i>Glycine max</i>) Plants under Water-Limiting Conditions |
| title_short | Silicon Enhances Plant Vegetative Growth and Soil Water Retention of Soybean (<i>Glycine max</i>) Plants under Water-Limiting Conditions |
| title_sort | silicon enhances plant vegetative growth and soil water retention of soybean i glycine max i plants under water limiting conditions |
| topic | abiotic stress water deficit vegetative growth root volume water retention |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/11/13/1687 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT sarojkumarsah siliconenhancesplantvegetativegrowthandsoilwaterretentionofsoybeaniglycinemaxiplantsunderwaterlimitingconditions AT kambhamrajareddy siliconenhancesplantvegetativegrowthandsoilwaterretentionofsoybeaniglycinemaxiplantsunderwaterlimitingconditions AT jiaxuli siliconenhancesplantvegetativegrowthandsoilwaterretentionofsoybeaniglycinemaxiplantsunderwaterlimitingconditions |