Silicon as a Stress Alleviator in Horticultural Crops: A Review

Abstract

The persistence of agricultural systems is facing more complex threats due to environmental discontinuities, which makes the case for targeted approaches to ameliorate the resilience of crops to non-living environmental stressors. Among current practices, which range from mineral addition to conventional farming, silicon (Si) is viewed as an element of lesser importance to the agricultural industry, yet fundamental with regards to explains the adaptation of plants to the environment. The concentration of Si elements in most plants is low but Si elements are usually present, by adding it externally, adverse environmental conditions will easily increase, leading to decreased (osmotically) regulated conditions, stabilizing of cell membranes and oxidative stress. In contrast to other supplements, Si has the unique property of regulating metabolism of phytohormone. Phytohormones, including auxins, cytokinins, ethylene, gibberellins, salicylic acid, abscisic acid, brassinosteroids and jasmonate, are responsible for the communication and control of plant activity in response to external and internal environmental and developmental changes. As Si exists in plant systems, it increases hormone synthesis and receptor activity, antagonize hormone turnover and receptor activity, thereby organizing rationally coordinated defense responses to stress. Smart hormonal changes, in turn, has been positively associated with enhanced physiological integrity and defense responses. Silicon-driven stress resilience versatility includes additional multidimensional remodeling systems, including organizational, transcriptional, biochemical and even metabolic, beyond the aforementioned primary signaling. In Si-treated plants, such systemic stress tolerance modules impact the emerging integrated gene-protein-metabolite networks outlined by multi-omics systems frameworks. In terms of sustainable intensification, the Si integrated hormonal order is a realistic approach to food security and resilient horticultural production. In addition to interfaces of sustainable development, Si provides a new spine to internal control that mitigates abiotic stress. Future work is needed to demarcate threshold application levels, the timing of application and specific pathways toward individual crops. Translational silicates frameworks that draw on delineated system interfaces with advanced biotechnologies offer a critical avenue for the production of engineered stress-resilient crops to sustain agricultural yields amidst growing climate extremes.