Silicon Spraying Enhances Wheat Stem Resistance to Lodging under Light Stress

Abstract

In recent years, the decrease in solar radiation has led to insufficient light, resulting in a shading effect on crops and a deterioration of stem quality, which seriously affects wheat yield. In this experiment, two different lodging-sensitive wheat varieties, SN16 (SN16) and SN23 (SN23), were selected as experimental materials, and two treatments were set up, with 50% shade (S1) and natural light as control (S0) from the jointing stage to the maturity stage. Two treatments, spraying 400 mg L−1 (C1) silicon fertilizer and spraying water as control (C0), were set up at the jointing stage of wheat. The effects of spraying silicon fertilizer on the yield, morphological and mechanical characteristics of the stem, and lignin content of winter wheat under low-light stress were investigated. The results showed that spraying silicon fertilizer increased the lignin content of the stem and improved stem lodging resistance mainly by improving the degree of lignification. An effective cultivation measure for wheat’s resistance to lodging can be provided by spraying silicon fertilizer when future low-light stress occurs.