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Silicification patterns in wheat leaves related to ontogeny and soil silicon availability under field conditions

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Abstract

Purpose

Silicon (Si) accumulation is an important strategy for plant defense against biotic and abiotic stress. Solid amorphous silica (ASi) deposits have been found to protect plants against different stressors (e.g., drought stress, ultraviolet radiation, herbivory, and pests). Most research on ASi deposits and their subsequent function is conducted under lab conditions. However, it is still unclear at which stage in ontogeny ASi deposits are developed to fulfill their function in plant protection under field conditions.

Methods

We combined SEM–EDX, NMR spectroscopy, and Si extractions to analyze silicification patterns in wheat leaves (blades and sheaths) in relation to ontogeny and soil Si availability.

Results

Silicification patterns in wheat leaves varied strongly in intensity between four different growth stages (tillering, stem extension, heading, and grain filling) and ASi deposition did not just continuously increase over the growing season. Newly formed leaf tissues showed relatively low Si concentrations, which increased over time. A high condensation state of the silica bodies and trichomes was found at all growth stages, referring to a high rigidity of the silica bodies.

Conclusions

Our results indicate that development of ASi deposits in wheat leaves depends on growth stage and Si availability. Detailed knowledge on solid ASi deposition in wheat during ontogeny and its consequences for stress mitigation is crucial for farmers worldwide.

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Data availability

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

Special thanks to Sven Schnabel, Frank Gesper, and Uwe Busse (Experimental Infrastructure Platform, ZALF) for setting up and managing the experiment, and to the team of the central laboratory of ZALF for analyses of plant and soil extracts. We also thank Rivka Elbaum (The Hebrew University of Jerusalem) and Scott Nicholas Johnson (Western Sydney University) for their comments on an earlier version of the manuscript. Last but not least many thanks to three anonymous reviewers, whose critical comments improved the quality of our manuscript substantially.

Funding

DP was funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) under grant PU 626/2–1.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF), 15374, Müncheberg, Germany

    Jörg Schaller, Daniel Puppe, Jaqueline Busse, Danuta Kaczoreck & Michael Sommer

  2. Chair of Bioanalytical Chemistry, Technische Universität Dresden, 01069, Dresden, Germany

    Silvia Paasch & Eike Brunner

  3. Dead Sea and Arava Science Center, Mt. Masada, Tamar Regional Council, 86910, Tamar, Israel

    Ofir Katz

  4. Eilat Campus, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, 8855630, Eilat, Israel

    Ofir Katz

Authors
  1. Jörg Schaller
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  2. Daniel Puppe
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  3. Jaqueline Busse
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  4. Silvia Paasch
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  5. Ofir Katz
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  6. Eike Brunner
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  7. Danuta Kaczoreck
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  8. Michael Sommer
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Contributions

J.S. and M.S. designed the study and conducted the experiment. J.B. performed SEM–EDX analyses. S.P. and E.B. measured the condensation state of silica in the plant material. J.S. and D.P. wrote the manuscript with help of all other authors. All authors approved the final manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jörg Schaller.

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Schaller, J., Puppe, D., Busse, J. et al. Silicification patterns in wheat leaves related to ontogeny and soil silicon availability under field conditions. Plant Soil 477, 9–23 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-022-05385-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-022-05385-6

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