Role of silicon in enrichment of plant nutrients and protection from biotic and abiotic stresses

Abstract

Silicon is the second most abundant element of the Earth’s crust and is regarded as mineral substrate for the growth and development of most plants. Many plants complete their life cycle without the need of silicon, but in majority of food crops like rice, wheat, sugarcane, barley etc, it is abundantly present in and between the plant cells and plays various advantageous roles in the survival. It accumulates in plants through the roots in the form of mono-silicic acid, and thereafter it gets deposited in different types of plant cells and intercellular spaces which are called as phytoliths. Plants generally contain a considerable amount of Si concentration which varies in the ranges of 1-10 % of dry weight or, sometimes, more. Silicon plays important roles in mitigating the biotic (insects, pests, pathogens) and abiotic (metal, salinity, drought, chilling, freezing) stresses. However, in spite of its several beneficial roles in plants, it is not yet considered as an essential mineral element for plants. Besides the significant role of silicon in alleviation of biotic and abiotic stresses, its exact mechanism is still unclear. Nowadays, UV-B radiation stress has become a global concern due to its damaging effect on plants, and it has been shown that silicon also plays an advantageous role against the radiation stress. This chapter aims to cover all the aspects regarding the valuable performance of silicon in the survival of plants.