Silicon nutrition of tomato and bitter gourd with special emphasis on silicon distribution in root fractions

Two plant species, tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) and bitter gourd (Momordica charantia), were used for in‐depth studies on the dynamics of silicon (Si) uptake and translocation to the shoots and compartmentation of Si in the roots. The experiments were conducted under controlled environmental conditions in nutrient solutions, which were partly amended with 1 mM Si in the form of silicic acid. At harvest, xylem exudates were collected, and Si concentrations and biomass of roots and shoots were determined. Mass flow of Si was calculated based on the Si concentration of the nutrient solution and transpiration determined in a parallel experiment. Plant roots were subjected to a fractionated Si analysis, allowing attributing Si to different root compartments. Silicon concentrations in the roots compared to the shoots were higher in tomato but lower in bitter gourd. A more ready translocation from the roots to the shoots in bitter gourd was in agreement with Si concentrations in the xylem exudates which were higher than in the external solution. In tomato, the xylem‐sap Si concentration was lower than in the nutrient solution. Calculated Si mass flow to the root exceeded Si uptake in tomato, which was consistent with the measured accumulation of Si in the root water‐free space (WFS). In contrast, Si concentration in the root WFS was lower than in the nutrient solution in bitter gourd, reflecting the calculated Si depletion at the root surface based on the comparison of Si mass flow and Si uptake. Within the roots, more than 80% of the total Si was located in the cell wall and less than 10% in the cytoplasmic fractions in tomato. In bitter gourd, between 60% and 70% of the total root Si was attributed to the cell‐wall fraction whereas the proportion of the cytoplasmic fraction reached more than 30%. Our results clearly confirm that tomato belongs to the Si excluders and bitter gourd to the Si‐accumulator plant species for which high Si concentrations in the cytoplasmic root fraction appear to be characteristic.     

Effects of silicon on the germination,growth and physiology activity of Zea mays L. seedlings under PH stress

Silicon(Si) has a significant function in reducing abiotic stresses on plants. pH stress is one of abiotic stresses. We investigated the effects of silicon on maize seedlings under pH stress. The results showed that incorporation of Si (2.0?mM (mmol)) into pH 3.0 increased the growth, chlorophyll and carotenoid contents, decreased catalase, peroxidase and ascorbate peroxidase enzyme activity and malondialdehyde content. The combined treatments with Si (8.0?mM) and pH 3.0 decreased the maize growth compare with the single pH (3.0). Incorporation of Si (2.0 or 8.0?mM) into pH 8.0 were obviously unchanged compare with the single pH (8.0). The combined or single effects of Si (2.0 or 8.0?mM) and pH (3.0 or 8.0) on germination percentage were negligible. The application of Si (2.0?mM) could be a better strategy for improving the plant growth and alleviating low pH stress in soil.     

Effect of Application of Acidified Porous Hydrate Calcium Silicate and Porous Hydrated Calcium Silicate on the Growth of Rice Plants (Oryza sativa L.)

The effect of the application of acidified porous hydrate calcium silicate (APS) in nursery bed soil and porous hydrate calcium silicate (PS) in paddy fields on the growth of rice plants ( Oryza sativa L. cv. Hitomebore) was examined in 2002 and 2003. The results revealed the following: 1) Shoot dry weight of rice seedlings increased by APS treatment in nursery bed soil. The tiller number of rice plants after transplanting in both years also increased by APS treatment in nursery bed soil, and in 2003, the tiller number in the treatment with a combination of APS in nursery bed soil and PS in paddy fields was significantly higher than that in the other treatments until the maximum tiller number stage. Furthermore, the root length of rice plants 14 d after transplanting increased by APS treatment in nursery bed soil. 2) Silicon concentration in the soil solution significantly increased by PS treatment in paddy fields, and the concentration of dissolved carbon oxide increased by APS treatment in nursery bed soil. 3) Only in the APS treatment the rice yield was 341 g m⁻², while 400 and 450 g m⁻² in the PS and both APS and PS treatments, respectively, in 2003. Percentages of ripened grains in the plots without PS treatment ranged from 57 to 63%, respectively, while, those in the PS treated plots were 82%. The numbers of panicles and ripened grains in both APS and PS treatments were the highest among the treatments. Based on the above results, we concluded that both APS in nursery bed soil and PS in paddy field treatments were effective in improving the silicon nutrition and growth of rice plants, and that this effect was enhanced by a combination of treatments with the two.     

Effect of Silicon Fertilization on Growth,Yield, and Nutrient Uptake of Rice

A field experiment was conducted to study the effect of silicon (diatomaceous earth, DE) fertilization on growth, yield, and nutrient uptake of rice during the kharif season of 2012 and 2013 in the new alluvial zone of West Bengal, India. Results showed that application of silicon significantly increased grain and straw yield as well as yield-attributing parameters such as plant height (cm), number of tillers m^?2, number of panicle m^?2, and 1000-grain weight (g) of rice. The greatest grain and straw yields were observed in the treatment T₆ (DE at 600 kg ha^?1 in combination with standard fertilizer practice (SFP). The concentration and uptake of silicon, nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) in grain and straw were also greater under this treatment compared to others. It was concluded that application of DE at 600 kg ha^?1 along with SFP resulted increased grain, straw, and uptake of NPK.     

不同耕作制对水田土壤有效硅的影响

人工模拟试验结果表明,耕型旱地红壤改为不同稻作制后有效硅下降,其顺序为冬油>冬绿>冬泡,淹水植稻期间是前期明显增加,到分蘖末期达峰值,孕穗至始穗期显著下降,以后缓慢继续降低,到黄熟期降到最低值;早、晚稻期间比较,晚稻期明显减少,而不同耕作制相比,则冬泡制高于冬种制,另外,施用有机肥能使有效硅提高,且随用量增加而加大。     

硅对盐胁迫下杨树幼苗生长和膜脂过氧化的影响

研究了杨树南林-95杨(Populus×euram ericana cv. NL-95)在不同盐胁迫下加硅处理对幼苗生长和活性氧代谢的影响。结果表明:未加硅情况下,随着盐浓度增加和胁迫时间的延长,幼苗生长减缓,叶细胞的膜脂过氧化程度明显加剧,叶片丙二醛(MDA)含量显著增加,细胞膜透性变大,而过氧化物酶(POD)、过氧化氢酶(CAT)的活性均有不同程度的下降。盐胁迫下施硅处理缓解了盐胁迫对杨树幼苗生长的抑制作用,维持了杨树叶片细胞膜的稳定性和完整性,幼苗叶MDA含量降低,POD和CAT活性提高。笔者认为盐胁迫下施硅在一定程度上缓解了盐分对杨树的毒害胁迫作用。     

氮磷钾减量配施硅肥对玉米养分吸收、利用及产量的影响

为研究氮、磷和钾减量条件下,增施硅肥对玉米氮、磷和钾养分吸收、利用及产量的影响,采用2因素裂区设计,主区为3种氮、磷和钾肥用量组合(F_(100)—常规用量,F_(80)—等比例减少20%和F(60)—等比例减少40%),副区为2种硅肥用量(SiO_2施用量分别为37.5和75 kg/hm~2,记为S_3和S_7。),测定玉米植株拔节期和成熟期的干物质积累量,氮、磷和钾的积累量,产量及产量构成。结果表明:与常规用量F100相比,F80和F60植株拔节期和成熟期的干物质、氮、磷和钾积累量显著降低,植株成熟期干物质、氮、钾、硅素在籽粒中的分配比例显著下降,穗粒数、行粒数和穗长均显著下降,秃尖长度增加20.96%~25.33%,减产10.77%~17.77%。F_(100)和F_(80)中,与S_3相比,S_7能显著提高植株拔节期、成熟期干物质积累,增加拔节期和成熟期植株氮、磷、钾和硅素积累量,提高磷素干物质生产效率、磷素籽粒生产效率及磷肥偏生产力以及籽粒产量。在处理F_(100)中,与S_3相比,S_7能提高成熟期籽粒中氮和钾的分配比例,显著降低成熟期茎秆中氮和钾的分配比例;在处理F_(80)中,与S_3相比,S_7能提高成熟期茎秆中磷和硅素的分配比例,降低成熟期籽粒中磷素的分配比例;在处理F_(60)中,与S_3相比,S_7能显著降低成熟期茎秆和籽粒中硅的分配比例。F_(100)和F_(80)中,与S_3相比,S_7能显著提高氮、磷和钾肥偏生产力。综上所述,氮、磷和钾肥减量会降低玉米植株关键生育阶段干物质积累量,以及氮、磷和钾素营养积累量,最终降低籽粒产量;氮、磷和钾常规用量或减施比例≤20%条件下,增施75 kg/hm~2硅肥能促进植株对氮、磷和钾素的吸收,增加干物质生产能力,优化成熟期干物质分配比例,增加籽粒产量,同步提高氮、磷和钾肥利用率。     

硅对镉胁迫下水稻幼苗体内镉分布规律的研究

采用溶液培养,研究不同浓度(0、30、80、130、180mg/L)的SiO2在4.0mg/LCdCl2浓度胁迫下对水稻幼苗体内镉(Cd)的分布规律。结果表明,在Cd胁迫下Si降低了水稻幼苗根、茎、叶、鞘、共质体和质外体Cd含量,其分布规律为:根茎叶茎鞘叶片,呈现出末端分布规律。说明Si促使大量的Cd累积在根中,根是Cd累积的主要部位,而茎、叶中Cd累积量较少。可见,Si可抑制水稻体内Cd由地下部分向地上部分运输,且能抑制地上部分Cd向叶片运输,并能减少Cd进入共质体。     

嫁接黄瓜果实表面蜡粉形成与砧木的相关性及其硅吸收分配特性

黄瓜果实表面蜡粉的多少影响其商品品质,蜡粉多少在一定条件下取决于植株对硅的吸收特性。本试验选择4个果实表面具蜡粉的南瓜自交系（Z1、 Z2、 Z3和Z4）和4个果实表面没有蜡粉的南瓜自交系（Z5、 Z6、 Z7 和Z8）为砧木,嫁接津优1号黄瓜,以自根黄瓜为对照,研究了嫁接和自根黄瓜果面蜡粉形成与硅吸收分配的关系。结果表明, 采用果面具蜡粉砧木Z1、 Z2嫁接的黄瓜果实表面鲜亮、 光滑,几乎无蜡粉;果面具蜡粉的砧木Z3、 Z4以及不具蜡粉的4个砧木嫁接的黄瓜果面蜡粉量多,色灰暗,与自根黄瓜之间差异显著或不显著。果面没有蜡粉的黄瓜植株各器官中硅含量显著低于果面有蜡粉的黄瓜;果实果皮中硅含量高于果肉。嫁接黄瓜果面是否具蜡粉与砧木果面有无蜡粉没有必然联系,采用去蜡粉砧木嫁接的黄瓜硅吸收量明显减少。