Chapter 8 Plant genotype, silicon concentration, and silicon-related responses

The silicon (Si) concentration in plants can affect their health and productivity. Several experiments evaluated the variability of Si concentration in an array of rice ( Oryza sativa ) and sugarcane ( Saccharum officinarum ) genotypes grown under Si-limiting conditions. In all tests, significant variation for Si concentration among genotypes was identified, and ranking of genotypes over environments was fairly stable. Indica rices appeared to be less efficient at acquiring Si than japonicas . There were significant negative correlations between Si concentration and plant disease development. Silicon did not increase leaf photosynthesis but did increase sexual fertility and grain set.