Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Silicon Improves the Tolerance to Water-Deficit Stress Induced by Polyethylene Glycol in Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Seedlings

  • Published:
Journal of Plant Growth Regulation Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Drought stress usually causes a serious yield reduction in wheat production. Silicon (Si) has been reported to be able to alleviate drought stress damage; however, the mechanism is still poorly understood. In this article, the effects of Si (as sodium silicate) on some parameters related to oxidative damage, proline, soluble sugar, and inorganic ions in the leaves of wheat under 20% (w/v) polyethylene glycol (PEG-6000) simulative drought stress are investigated. PEG stress depressed the growth of shoot and root and decreased leaf water potential and chlorophyll concentration. Addition of 1.0 mM Si could partially improve the growth of shoot (but not root) and increase the leaf chlorophyll concentrations of stressed plants. Inclusion of Si in culture solution also maintained leaf water potential of stressed plants at the same level as that of the control plants. PEG stress induced significant accumulation of leaf hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and malondialdehyde (MDA) as well as an increase in electrolyte leakage, which were all decreased by added silicon. These results suggest that stress-induced membrane lipid peroxidation could be partly alleviated by added silicon. Moreover, the results were also supported by the observation that PEG stress-induced decrease in glutathione concentration in the leaves was reversed by added silicon. The proline concentration in the leaves was markedly increased under PEG stress, whereas added silicon partially reversed this. PEG stress decreased the leaf soluble sugar concentration. There were significant negative regressions between proline concentration and both shoot dry weight and leaf chlorophyll concentrations, whereas there were positive regressions between the proline concentration and both H2O2 and MDA concentrations in the leaves, supporting the view that proline accumulation is a symptom of stress damage rather than stress tolerance. Addition of Si obviously increased Si accumulation in the shoot. Analyses of Na, Mg, K, and Ca showed no accumulation of these ions in the shoot (on the basis of per tissue dry weight) under water stress, and added Si even decreased their concentrations. These results suggest that under short-term PEG-induced water stress conditions (1 week), antioxidant defense, rather than osmotic adjustment, contributed to the improved wheat growth by Si.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Agarie S, Agata W, Kubota F, Kaufman PB (1992) Physiological roles of silicon in photosynthesis and dry matter production in rice plants. Jpn J Crop Sci 60:200–206 in Japanese

    Google Scholar 

  • Agarie S, Uchida H, Qgata W, Kubota F, Kaufman PB (1998) Effects of silicon on transpiration and leaf conductance in rice plants (Oryza sativa L). Plant Prod Sci 1(2):89–95

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Al-aghabary Khalid, Zhu ZJ, Shi QH (2004) Influence of silicon supply on chlorophyll content, chlorophyll fluorescence, and antioxidative enzyme activities in tomato plants under salt stress. J Plant Nutr 27:2101–2115

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Anderson ME (1985) Determination of glutathione and glutathione disulfides in biological samples. Methods Enzymol 113:548–570

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Arndt SK, Wanek W, Clifford SC, Popp M (2000) Contrasting adaptations to drought stress in field-grown Ziziphus mauritiana and Prunus persica trees: water relations, osmotic adjustment and carbon isotope composition. Aust J Plant Physiol 27:985–996

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ashraf M, Foolad MR (2007) Roles of glycine betaine and proline in improving plant abiotic stress resistance. Environ Exp Bot 59:206–216

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bates LS, Waldren RP, Teare ID (1973) Rapid determination of free proline for water stress studies. Plant Soil 39:205–207

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Christine HF, Humberto LD, James FD, Ian MS (1997) Hydrogen peroxide- and glutathione-associated mechanisms of acclimatory stress and signaling. Physiol Plant 100:241–254

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • de Melo SP, Korndörfer GH, Korndörfer CM, Lana RMQ, de Santana DG (2003) Silicon accumulation and water deficit tolerance in Brachiaria grasses. Sci Agric 60(4):755–759

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • de-Lacerda CF, Cambraia J, Oliva MA, Ruiz HA, Prisco JT (2003) Solute accumulation and distribution during shoot and leaf development in two sorghum genotypes under salt stress. Environ Exp Bot 49:107–120

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Egert M, Tevini M (2002) Influence of drought on some physiological parameters symptomatic for oxidative stress in leaves of chives (Allium schoenoprasum). Environ Exp Bot 48:43–49

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Epstein E (1999) Silicon. Annu Rev Plant Physiol Plant Mol Biol 50:641–664

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fauteux F, Chain F, Belzile F, Menzies J, Bélanger RR (2006) The protective role of silicon in the Arabidopsis—powdery mildew pathosystem. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 103:17554–17559

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Figen E, Ali I, David JP, Aydin G (2008) Interactive effects of salicylic acid and silicon on oxidative damage and antioxidant activity in spinach (Spinacia oleracea L. cv. Matador) grown under boron toxicity and salinity. Plant Growth Regul 55:207–219

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gao X, Zou C, Wang L, Zhang F (2004) Silicon improves water use efficiency in maize plants. J Plant Nutr 27(8):1457–1470

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gao X, Zou C, Wang L, Zhang F (2006) Silicon decreases transpiration rate and conductance from stomata of maize plants. J Plant Nutr 29:1637–1647

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gong H, Zhu X, Chen K, Wang S, Zhang C (2005) Silicon alleviates oxidative damage of wheat plants in pots under drought. Plant Sci 169:313–321

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gong HJ, Randall DP, Flowers TJ (2006) Silicon deposition in the root reduces sodium uptake in rice (Oryza sativa L.) seedlings by reducing bypass flow. Plant Cell Environ 29:1970–1979

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gong HJ, Chen KM, Zhao ZG, Chen GC, Zhou WJ (2008) Effects of silicon on defense of wheat against oxidative stress under drought at different developmental stages. Biol Plant 52:592–596

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gunes A, Inal A, Bagci EG, Pilbeam DJ (2007) Silicon-mediated changes of some physiological and enzymatic parameters symptomatic for oxidative stress in spinach and tomato grown in sodic-B toxic soil. Plant Soil 290:103–114

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hattori T, Inanaga S, Araki H, An P, Morita S, Luxová M, Lux A (2005) Application of silicon enhanced drought tolerance in Sorghum bicolour. Physiol Plant 123:459–466

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hattori T, Sonobe K, Inanaga S, An P, Tsuji W, Araki H, Eneji AE, Morita S (2007) Short term stomatal responses to light intensity changes and osmotic stress in sorghum seedlings raised with and without silicon. Environ Exp Bot 60:177–182

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Inanaga S, Okasaka A (1996) Calcium and silicon binding compounds in cell walls of rice shoots. Soil Sci Plant Nutr 41:103–110

    Google Scholar 

  • Inskeep WP, Bloom PR (1985) Extinction coefficients of chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b in N, N-dimethylformamide and 80% acetone. Plant Physiol 77:483–485

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Law MY, Charles SA, Halliwell B (1983) Glutathione and ascorbic acid in spinach (Spinacea oleracea) chloroplasts. The effect of hydrogen peroxide and of paraquat. Biochem J 210:899–903

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Leul M, Zhou WJ (1999) Alleviation of waterlogging damage in winter rape by uniconazole application: Effects on enzyme activity, lipid peroxidation and membrane integrity. J Plant Growth Regul 18:9–14

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Li Q-F, Ma C-C, Shang Q-L (2007) Effects of silicon on photosynthesis and antioxidative enzymes of maize under drought stress. Chin J Appl Ecol 18:531–536

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Liang Y (1999) Effects of silicon on enzyme activity and sodium, potassium and calcium concentration in barley under salt stress. Plant Soil 209:217–224

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Liang Y, Chen Q, Liu Q, Zhang W, Ding R (2003) Exogenous silicon (Si) increases antioxidant enzyme activity and reduces lipid peroxidation in roots of salt-stressed barley (Hordeum vulgare L.). J Plant Physiol 160:157–1164

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liang Y, Zhang W, Chen Q, Ding R (2005) Effects of silicon on H+-ATPase and H+-PPase activity. fatty acid composition and fluidity of tonoplast vesicles from roots of salt-stressed barley (Hordeum vulgare L.). Environ Exp Bot 53:29–37

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Liang Y, Zhang W, Chen Q, Liu Y, Ding R (2006) Effect of exogenous silicon (Si) on H+-ATPase activity, phospholipids and fluidity of plasma membrane in leaves of salt-stressed barley (Hordeum vulgare L.). Environ Exp Bot 57:212–219

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Liang Y, Zhu J, Li Z, Chua G, Ding Y, Zhang J, Sun W (2008) Role of silicon in enhancing resistance to freezing stress in two contrasting winter wheat cultivars. Environ Exp Bot 64:286–294

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lin CC, Kao CH (2000) Effect of NaCl stress on H2O2 metabolism in rice leaves. Plant Growth Regul 30:151–155

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lutts S, Majerus V, Kinet J-M (1999) NaCl effects on proline metabolism in rice (Oryza sativa) seedlings. Physiol Plant 105:450–458

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Madan S, Nainawatee HS, Jain RK, Chowdhury JB (1995) Proline and proline metabolizing enzymes in in vitro selected NaCl-tolerant Brassica juncea L. under salt stress. Ann Bot 76:51–57

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Matoh T, Kairusmee P, Takahashi E (1986) Salt-induced damage to rice plants and alleviation effect of silicate. Soil Sci Plant Nutr 32:295–304

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mera MU, Beveridge TJ (1993) Mechanism of silicate binding to the bacterial cell wall in Bacillus subtilis. J Bacteriol 175:1936–1945

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Nayyar H, Walia DP (2003) Water stress induced proline accumulation in contrasting wheat genotypes as affected by calcium and abscisic acid. Biol Plant 46:275–279

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rogalla H, Römheld V (2002) Role of leaf apoplast in silicon-mediated manganese tolerance of Cucumis sativus L. Plant Cell Environ 25:549–555

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Saqib M, Zörb C, Schubert S (2008) Silicon-mediated improvement in the salt resistance of wheat (Triticum aestivum) results from increased sodium exclusion and resistance to oxidative stress. Funct Plant Biol 35:633–639

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Smienoff N (1998) Plant resistance to environmental stress. Curr Opin Biotech 9:214–219

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tuna AL, Kaya C, Higgs D, Murillo-Amador B, Aydemir S, Girgin AR (2008) Silicon improves salinity tolerance in wheat plants. Environ Exp Bot 62:10–16

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wood AJ, Saneoka H, Rhodes D, Joly RJ, Gildsbrough PB (1996) Betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase in sorghum. Molecular cloning and expression of two related genes. Plant Physiol 110:1301–1308

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Yan B, Dai Q, Liu X, Huang S, Wang Z (1996) Flooding-induced membrane damage, lipid oxidation and activated oxygen generation in corn leaves. Plant Soil 179:261–268

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yeo AR, Flowers SA, Rao G, Welfare K, Senanayake N, Flowers TJ (1999) Silicon reduces sodium uptake in rice (Oryza sativa L.) in saline conditions and this is accounted for by a reduction in the transpirational bypass flow. Plant Cell Environ 22:559–565

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yordanov I, Velikova V, Tsonev T (2000) Plant responses to drought, acclimation, and stress tolerance. Photosynthetica 38:171–186

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yoshida S (1965) Chemical aspects of the role of silicon in physiology of the rice plant. Bull Natl Inst Agric Sci B 15:18–58 (in Japanese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhang ZJ, Li HZ, Zhou WJ, Takeuchi Y, Yoneyama K (2006) Effect of 5-aminolevulinic acid on development and salt tolerance of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) microtubers in vitro. Plant Growth Regul 49:27–34

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang J, Wu LH, Wang MY (2008a) Can iron and zinc in rice grains (Oryza sativa L.) be biofortified with nitrogen fertilisation under pot conditions? J Sci Food Agric 88:1172–1177

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang WF, Zhang F, Raziuddin R, Gong HJ, Yang ZM, Lu L, Ye QF, Zhou WJ (2008b) Effects of 5-aminolevulinic acid on oilseed rape seedling growth under herbicide toxicity stress. J Plant Growth Regul 27:159–169

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhu Z, Wei G, Li J, Qian Q, Yu J (2004) Silicon alleviates salt stress and increases antioxidant enzymes activity in leaves of salt-stressed cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.). Plant Sci 167:527–533

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhu X, Gong H, Chen G, Wang S, Zhang C (2005) Different solute levels in two spring wheat cultivars induced by progressive field water stress at different developmental stages. J Arid Environ 62:1–14

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This research was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (30600377, 30871652, 20632070), Zhejiang Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China (Y306034, R307095), National High Technology Research and Development Program of China (2006AA10A214), Scientific Research Fund of Zhejiang Provincial Education Department of China (20061377), and Special Research Support for Returned Scientist from Chinese Ministry of Personnel.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Crop Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310029, China

    Z. F. Pei, D. F. Ming, D. Liu, G. L. Wan, X. X. Geng, H. J. Gong & W. J. Zhou

  2. Department of Life Sciences, Zaozhuang University, Zaozhuang, 277160, China

    D. F. Ming

Authors
  1. Z. F. Pei
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. D. F. Ming
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. D. Liu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. G. L. Wan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. X. X. Geng
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. H. J. Gong
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. W. J. Zhou
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to H. J. Gong or W. J. Zhou.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Pei, Z.F., Ming, D.F., Liu, D. et al. Silicon Improves the Tolerance to Water-Deficit Stress Induced by Polyethylene Glycol in Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Seedlings. J Plant Growth Regul 29, 106–115 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00344-009-9120-9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00344-009-9120-9

Keywords

Search

Navigation