Silicon Effect on Nutrient Acquisition of Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) Under Aluminum Stress

Aluminum (Al) toxicity represents one of the main yield-limiting factors for crops in acid soils. Silicon (Si) is known to increase tolerance in higher plants. This study was conducted to determine whether treatment with Si could improve nutrient uptake by peanut under Al stress. Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L. cv Zhonghua 4) was raised with or without Si (1.5 mM) in the growth chamber under 0 and toxic Al (0.3 mM) levels. Aluminum stress significantly decreased the root- and total-dry weight by 52.4% and 32.0%, respectively. The content of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), and magnesium (Mg) was significantly decreased, but that of Al increased markedly in shoots and roots after Al exposure at seedling, flower-needle, and pod-setting stage. Silicon alleviates Al toxicity in peanut plants in relation to Al distribution and allocation of tissue P, K, Ca, and Mg by favoring the partitioning of dry mass to roots.