Silicon (Si) in Plant-Pathogen Interactions

Lifeasible focuses on the role of key factors in plant-pathogen interactions and offers services to help research Si in plant-pathogen interactions.

Silicon (Si) benefits plant growth and can induce broad-spectrum disease resistance. It has been found that the plant's ability to absorb and translocate Si affects the plant's ability to resist pathogens. Si protects plants from damage caused by fungi, bacteria, viruses, and some pests in several ways. Si protects plants in plant-pathogen interactions through three main mechanisms, including physical, biochemical, and molecular mechanisms (Fig. 1). Si can also improve plant mineral nutrient uptake to enhance plant health and thus indirectly increase plant resistance. Different plants have different capacities for the uptake of Si. Gramineous plants (e.g., rice, wheat, sugar cane, and maize) generally have a high Si uptake capacity. Based on this, studies that investigate the role of Si in plant-pathogen interactions need to be custom-designed.

Fig. 1 The role of silicon (Si) on plant-pathogen interactions (Frew et al., 2018).

Our Services

Lifeasible contributes to the study of Si in plant-pathogen interactions to help develop plant protection strategies with Si managing.

Analysis of Si in plants

Some plant gene mutations or plant-pathogen interactions may affect Si content in plants. We offer two methods to help analyze Si in plants to identify mutated genes or factors that affect Si content.

We help measure the Si content of plants using classical digestion-based techniques. We help digest plant material with a dry ashing method to obtain a more accurate Si content. We then help with borate-fusion extraction. Later, we help with Si extraction using nitric acid for dissolution and Na₂CO₃ for neutralizing. For the analysis of Si content, we use plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES), which is more accurate than the molybdenum-blue colorimetry method.

We help measure the Si content using fast X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectroscopy. We help clean, dry, and grind the plant material fully, and we ensure that the plant material has the required particle size. Then, to obtain a repeatable photon flux from the sample to the XRF detector, we help to prepare the test sample to standard (tight, flat, and of equal density). Finally, we help detect the Si content using a portable XRF. The advantage of this method is that it enables accurate, fast, and non-consumptive Si detection.

Studies on the role of Si

We help explore the effects of foliar or root applications of Si on plants and pathogens. We help detect the effects of Si on plant structure (e.g., analyzing cell wall or root structure) and plant-pathogen interaction status (e.g., using scanning electron microscopy to observe the pathogen infection process). Then, we also help study the role of Si based on the metabolome, transcriptome, and proteome or explore the effects of Si application on a specific protein, metabolite, or structure of a plant or pathogen to help explore the specific physical, chemical, biological or molecular mechanisms of its effects.

Lifeasible helps to analyze the factors that influence the content of Si in plants and explore the role of Si in plant-pathogen interactions. Please contact us for professional services.