Abstract
About this talk
Silicon products which are used for an environmentally friendly fertilization can restrict a diverse range of abiotic and biotic stresses in agricultural crops. Due to human and environmental risks following applications of agrochemicals, it is highly desired to use such amendments for sustainable crop protection and production purposes. Silicon has a potential which is promising to improve the plant tolerance against diverse stresses in particular diseases. There are a number of mechanisms which have been found responsible for protecting plants against pathogens by using silicon elements. It is mainly comprised of physical protection via improving the strength of plant cell wall and the formation of papillae. For biochemical components of silicon protection, its applications increase the activity of defense-associated enzymes and stimulate the production of antagonistic compounds. From molecular aspects, silicon treatments can activate the expression of defense-associated genes and regulate the hormone signaling pathways, including salicylic acid, gibberellins, jasmonic acid, and ethylene. Therefore, it was tried to evaluate impacts of silicate potassium on restricting rust and mildew diseases causing noticeable yield losses in wheat worldwide. Treating a highly susceptible cultivar of wheat with silicate potassium significantly decreased the incidence and severity ratings of yellow rust, brown rust, black rust and powdery mildew diseases at field plot scale. Both of soil and leaf applications showed efficient reductions in the spread and intensity of these destructive diseases in wheat crops. Different concentrations of silicate potassium suspensions were effective on rust and mildew diseases. Seed production and 1000-seed weight in this susceptible wheat cultivar also improved following restrictions of such major diseases under field conditions. As conclusion, replacing chemical fungicides with silicon-based fertilizers is recommended to wheat growers for sustainable protection and production in agroecosystems.
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