Abstract
The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of silicon (Si) on iron (Fe) deficiency in sorghum plants grown in a nutrient solution, seeing that sorghum crops are sensitive to iron deficiency and Si may alleviate this deficiency. Nonetheless, the nutritional mechanisms underlying this process have not been fully elucidated in this plant species. Treatments were arranged in a 2 × 2 factorial scheme and completely randomized block design, in the absence or presence of Si (2 mmol L−1) and under Fe deficiency or sufficiency, with five repetitions. The sources of Si and Fe were stabilized sorbitol sodium and potassium silicate (Si = 113.4 g L−1) and Fe-EDDHA chelate (Fe = 6%), respectively. The plants were cultured in pots filled with washed sand, and Si was supplied via nutrient solution at a concentration of 2 mmol L−1. The concentrations of Fe used in this study were 368 μmol L−1 for sufficiency conditions and 55.2 μmol L−1 for deficiency conditions. Our results showed that Si has a beneficial effect on sorghum plants under Fe deficiency by increasing the chlorophyll content and decreasing concentration of malondialdehyde (MDA). In addition, the application of Si increased the efficiency of translocation and utilization of Fe in plants under this micronutrient deficiency. In conclusion, Si reduced Fe deficiency in sorghum plants by increasing the concentration of photosynthetic pigments, reducing lipid peroxidation, improving the efficiency of Fe translocation and utilization, and resulting in a greater dry weight accumulation.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Ahmed M, Qadeer U, Aslam MA (2011) Silicon application and drought tolerance mechanism of sorghum with. Afr J Agric Res 6:594–607
Arnon DI (1949) Copper enzymes in isolated chloroplasts polyphenoloxidase in Beta vulgaris. Plant Physiol 24:1–15
Bataglia OC, Furlani AMC, Teixeira JPF, Furlani PR, Gallo JR (1983) Métodos de análise química de plantas. Métodos de análise química de plantas. Campinas
Bityutskii N, Pavlovic J, Yakkonen K, Maksimovi V (2014) Plant physiology and biochemistry contrasting effect of silicon on iron , zinc and manganese status and accumulation of metal-mobilizing compounds in micronutrient-de fi cient cucumber. Plant Physiol Biochem J 74:205–211
Cavalcante VS, de Mello Prado R, Vasconcelos R d L, Campos CNS (2016) Iron concentrations in sugar cane (Saccharum officinarum L.) cultivated in nutrient solution. Agrociencia 50:867–875
Doncheva S, Poschenrieder C, Stoyanova Z, Georgieva K, Velichkova M, Barceló J (2009) Silicon amelioration of manganese toxicity in Mn-sensitive and Mn-tolerant maize varieties. Environ Exp Bot 65:189–197
Fageria NK, Baligar VC (2005) Enhancing nitrogen use efficiency in crop plants. Adv Agron 88:97–185
Gonzalo MJ, Lucena JJ, Hernández-apaolaza L (2013) Plant physiology and biochemistry effect of silicon addition on soybean (Glycine max) and cucumber (Cucumis sativus) plants grown under iron deficiency. Plant Physiol Biochem 70:455–461. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.plaphy.2013.06.007
Gratão PL, Polle A, Lea PJ, Azevedo RA (2005) Making the life of heavy metal-stressed plants a little easier review: making the life of heavy metal-stressed plants a little easier. Funct Plant Biol 32:481–494
Heath RL, Packer L (1968) Photoperoxidation in isolated chloroplasts of fatty acid peroxidation in 1965 we observed that isolated chloroplasts upon illumination produce substances which react with thiobarbituric signify an investigation has therefore been under-isolated should. Arch Biochem Biophys 125:189–198
Hoagland DC, Arnon DI (1950) The water culture method for growing plant without soil. The water culture method for growing plant without soil. Berkeley
Huang R (2018) Research progress on plant tolerance to soil salinity and alkalinity in sorghum. J Integr Agric 17:739–746. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2095-3119(17)61728-3
Kim Y, Khan AL, Waqas M, Lee I, Lee I (2017) Silicon regulates antioxidant activities of crop plants under abiotic-induced oxidative stress: a review. Front Plant Sci 8:1–7
Korndorfer G, Pereira H, Nolla A (2004) Análise de silício no solo, planta e fertilizante. Análise de silício no solo, planta e fertilizante. Uberlândia
Liang Y, Sun W, Zhu Y, Christie P (2007) Mechanisms of silicon-mediated alleviation of abiotic stresses in higher plants: a review. Environ Pollut 147(147):422–428
Lichtenthaler HK (1987) Chlorophylls and carotenoids: pigments of photosynthetic biomembranes. Methods Enzymol 148:350–382
Ma JF, Yamaji N (2006) Silicon uptake and accumulation in higher plants. Trends Plant Sci 11:392–397
Malavolta E, Accorsi WR, Oliveira GD et al (1977) Estudos sobre a nutrição mineral do sorgo granífero. V. Efeitos das deficiências de micronutrientes. An Esc Super Agric Luiz Queiroz 34:347–352
Muneer S, Jeong BR (2015) Silicon decreases Fe deficiency responses by improving photosynthesis and maintaining composition of thylakoid multiprotein complex proteins in soybean plants (Glycine max L.). J Plant Growth Regul 34:485–498. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00344-015-9484-y
Nikolic DB, Nesic S, Bosnic D, Kostic L, Nikolic M (2019) Silicon alleviates Iron deficiency in barley by enhancing expression of strategy II genes and metal redistribution. Front Plant Sci 10:1–12
Oliveira RLL d, Prado R d M, Felisberto G, Checchio MV, Gratão PL (2019) Silicon mitigates manganese deficiency stress by regulating the physiology and activity of antioxidant enzymes in sorghum plants. J Soil Sci Plant Nutr 19:1–11. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42729-019-00051-w
Oliveira KS, de Mello Prado R, de Farias Guedes VH (2020) Leaf spraying of manganese with silicon addition is agronomically viable for corn and Sorghum plants. J Soil Sci Plant Nutr
Pavlovic J, Samardzic J, Maksimovi V et al (2013) Silicon alleviates iron deficiency in cucumber by promoting mobilization of iron in the root apoplast. New Phytol 198:1096–1107
Prado R (2008) Nutrição de Plantas. Nutrição de Plantas, Unesp. São Paulo
Teixeira GCM, de Mello Prado R, Rocha AMS, dos Santos LCN, dos Santos Sarah MM, Gratão PL, Fernandes C (2020) Silicon in pre-sprouted sugarcane seedlings mitigates the effects of water deficit after transplanting. J Soil Sci Plant Nutr 1:1–11. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42729-019-00170-4
Vasanthi N, Saleena LM, Raj SA, Vijay R, Pvt B (2014) Silicon in crop production and crop protection - a review. Agric Res Commun Cent 35:14–23
Funding
The present work was carried out with the support of the Coordination of Improvement of Higher Education Personnel - Brazil (CAPES) - Financing Code 001.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of Interest
The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Additional information
Publisher’s note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Teixeira, G.C.M., de Mello Prado, R., Oliveira, K.S. et al. Silicon Increases Leaf Chlorophyll Content and Iron Nutritional Efficiency and Reduces Iron Deficiency in Sorghum Plants. J Soil Sci Plant Nutr 20, 1311–1320 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42729-020-00214-0
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42729-020-00214-0