Silicon Application by Sorghum Through the Alleviation of Stress-Induced Increase in Hydraulic Resistance |
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| Authors: | Taiichiro Hattori Kaori Sonobe Hideki Araki Shinobu Inanaga Ping An Shigenori Morita |
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| Institution: | 1. Arid Land Research Center , Tottori University , Tottori , Japan;2. Faculty of Agriculture , Yamaguchi University , Yamaguchi , Japan;3. Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences , Ibaraki , Japan;4. Field Production Science Center, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences , The University of Tokyo , Tokyo , Japan |
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| Abstract: | In this study, it was verified whether silicon (Si) affected plant hydraulic resistance, which was one of the significant factors affecting water uptake. Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench. was grown hydroponically under varying silicon levels and exposed to osmotic stresses. Under osmotic stress, reduction in growth, photosynthesis, and transpiration were alleviated as supplied silicon levels increased. These alleviative effects were ascribed to enhancement of water uptake. Although shoot/root ratio was not affected by silicon, estimated apparent hydraulic resistance was lower in silicon-supplied sorghum than silicon-deficient one under osmotic stress. Simultaneous measurement of transpiration and water uptake rates indicated that under osmotic stress silicon-deficient sorghums showed unbalanced water relation that transpiration rate exceeded water uptake rate, while they were balanced in silicon-supplied sorghums. The results indicated that silicon improved hydraulic resistance, allowing sorghum to avoid from decrease in water uptake rate that happens to silicon-deficient sorghum under water stress. |
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| Keywords: | Silicon sorghum water uptake hydraulic resistance water balance |
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