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Application of silicon improves salt tolerance through ameliorating osmotic and ionic stresses in the seedling of Sorghum bicolor

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Abstract

Silicon has been widely reported to have a beneficial effect on improving plant tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses. However, the mechanisms of silicon in mediating stress responses are still poorly understood. Sorghum is classified as a silicon accumulator and is relatively sensitive to salt stress. In this study, we investigated the short-term application of silicon on growth, osmotic adjustment and ion accumulation in sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) under salt stress. The application of silicon alone had no effects upon sorghum growth, while it partly reversed the salt-induced reduction in plant growth and photosynthesis. Meanwhile, the osmotic potential was lower and the turgor pressure was higher than that without silicon application under salt stress. The osmolytes, the sucrose and fructose levels, but not the proline, were significantly increased, as well as Na+ concentration was decreased in silicon-treated plants under salt stress. These results suggest that the beneficial effects of silicon on improving salt tolerance under short-term treatment are attributed to the alleviating of salt-induced osmotic stress and as well as ionic stress simultaneously.

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Abbreviations

DAT:

Days after treatment

DW:

Dry weight

E :

Transpiration rate

FW:

Fresh weight

g s :

Stomatal conductance

LA:

Leaf area

P N :

Net photosynthetic rate

Ψπ:

Osmotic potential

Ψp:

Turgor pressure

Ψw:

Water potential

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31101597), West Light Foundation of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Universities Scientific Fund (Z109021202) and 111 project of Chinese Education Ministry (B12007).

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Correspondence to Shiwen Wang.

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Communicated by S. Renault.

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Yin, L., Wang, S., Li, J. et al. Application of silicon improves salt tolerance through ameliorating osmotic and ionic stresses in the seedling of Sorghum bicolor . Acta Physiol Plant 35, 3099–3107 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11738-013-1343-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11738-013-1343-5

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