ADVANCES IN UNDERSTANDING SILICON-MEDIATED MOLECULAR AND GENETIC RESPONSES TO ABIOTIC STRESS IN PLANTS

Abstract

Sustainable agricultural production is increasingly threatened by unpredictable and adverse environmental conditions. The application of mineral elements has emerged as a promising strategy to mitigate the effects of abiotic stress, offering an alternative to conventional management practices. Among these elements, silicon (Si)—the second most abundant element in the Earth’s lithosphere—plays a vital role in a wide range of cellular, physiological, and developmental processes in plants. Numerous studies have demonstrated that Si application enhances seed germination, plant growth, photosynthetic performance, gas exchange, and yield under both stress and non-stress conditions.

The beneficial effects of silicon are particularly evident in silicon-accumulating plant species, especially when exposed to abiotic stresses such as salinity, drought, and extreme temperature fluctuations. Exogenous application of Si induces substantial modifications in morpho-physiological and biochemical traits, thereby strengthening plant tolerance to environmental stressors.

This chapter reviews the occurrence, sources, uptake, accumulation, and transport of silicon in plants. It further highlights recent advances in silicon-mediated stress alleviation through molecular and genetic approaches, including genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, silicon nanoparticles, and genome-editing technologies. Overall, the chapter aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the multifaceted role of silicon in alleviating abiotic stress and to emphasize its potential as a sustainable strategy for enhancing crop resilience and productivity