In order to resolve the issue on food security in a best possible manner, it is highly
important to understand the responses as well as adjustments that occur during
averting stress-triggered alterations (Pecinka and Mittelsten Scheid 2012; Goswami
et al. 2020). As an effort, various groups of researchers are keenly focusing on
understanding the mechanism through various newly developed tools and
techniques (Anamika et al. 2019; Shahbazy et al. 2020). These efforts have resulted
in generating knowledge regarding the “changes and adjustments” and their
associated mechanisms up to an extent (Gilliham et al. 2017; Vakilian 2020).
Furthermore, many crossbred and transgenic plants have also been developed in
the last 15 years (Hasanuzzamam et al. 2018; Dixit et al. 2020). However, time,
efforts, and environment suitability are primary factors that are considered majorly.
Hence, there is a need to look for reliable environment-friendly methods for sustainable agriculture (Kawalekar 2013; Ahirwar et al. 2020).
In this context, one of the most reliable practices has been to supply adequate
mineral nutrition coupled with maintenance of sound soil-health (Pandey et al. 2015;
Fresno et al. 2018; Lu et al. 2020). This method assures both environmental and
economic benefits and crop plants can be supplemented with required components
directly in the form of fertilizers and its effect can be observed at morphology,
physiology, biochemistry, and metabolome levels (Ma 2004; Marschner 2012;
Liang et al. 2015; Mu et al. 2020). Till date, few elements have been studied for
promoting a range of tolerance mechanisms for alleviating various stresses in several
important agricultural and horticultural crops (Kaur et al. 2016; Chauhan et al. 2017;
Salgado et al. 2020). One such studied element is Si, a “multi-talented” quasiessential element that has been established as a stimulant to trigger growth and
development in stressed plants at an optimal concentration (Malhotra and Kapoor
2019; Ahanger et al. 2020; Singh et al. 2020). This is because the Si is being directly
supplemented by the small and marginal farmers in their fields since 1840s in the
form of non-corrosive, non-pollutive, regular fertilizer for economic as well as
ecological benefits (von Liebig 1843). Now, due to its positive effects, the status
of Si has shifted from “beneficial but non-essential” to “quasi-essential” by the
International Plant Nutrition Institute (IPNI) (http://www.ipni.net/). Furthermore,
in 2013, the Association of American Plant Food Control Officials (AAPFCO)
also officially announced Si as a plant “beneficial substance” (http://www.ipni.net/
publication/bettercrops.nsf/0/26A7E8FDB7F2FBBF85257C28007A07BB/$FILE/
BC%202013-4%20p14.pdf). Besides, the beneficial effects of Si for imparting stress
tolerance is also well documented in the form of Si nanoparticles and Si priming
(Abdel Latef and Tran 2016; Rastogi et al. 2019; Parveen et al. 2019; Siddiqui et al.
2020). This chapter focuses on highlighting the significance of Si as a growth
regulator and anti-stress agent.
2 Silicon: A Plant Nutritional “Non-Entity” for Mitigating Abiotic
19
important to understand the responses as well as adjustments that occur during
averting stress-triggered alterations (Pecinka and Mittelsten Scheid 2012; Goswami
et al. 2020). As an effort, various groups of researchers are keenly focusing on
understanding the mechanism through various newly developed tools and
techniques (Anamika et al. 2019; Shahbazy et al. 2020). These efforts have resulted
in generating knowledge regarding the “changes and adjustments” and their
associated mechanisms up to an extent (Gilliham et al. 2017; Vakilian 2020).
Furthermore, many crossbred and transgenic plants have also been developed in
the last 15 years (Hasanuzzamam et al. 2018; Dixit et al. 2020). However, time,
efforts, and environment suitability are primary factors that are considered majorly.
Hence, there is a need to look for reliable environment-friendly methods for sustainable agriculture (Kawalekar 2013; Ahirwar et al. 2020).
In this context, one of the most reliable practices has been to supply adequate
mineral nutrition coupled with maintenance of sound soil-health (Pandey et al. 2015;
Fresno et al. 2018; Lu et al. 2020). This method assures both environmental and
economic benefits and crop plants can be supplemented with required components
directly in the form of fertilizers and its effect can be observed at morphology,
physiology, biochemistry, and metabolome levels (Ma 2004; Marschner 2012;
Liang et al. 2015; Mu et al. 2020). Till date, few elements have been studied for
promoting a range of tolerance mechanisms for alleviating various stresses in several
important agricultural and horticultural crops (Kaur et al. 2016; Chauhan et al. 2017;
Salgado et al. 2020). One such studied element is Si, a “multi-talented” quasiessential element that has been established as a stimulant to trigger growth and
development in stressed plants at an optimal concentration (Malhotra and Kapoor
2019; Ahanger et al. 2020; Singh et al. 2020). This is because the Si is being directly
supplemented by the small and marginal farmers in their fields since 1840s in the
form of non-corrosive, non-pollutive, regular fertilizer for economic as well as
ecological benefits (von Liebig 1843). Now, due to its positive effects, the status
of Si has shifted from “beneficial but non-essential” to “quasi-essential” by the
International Plant Nutrition Institute (IPNI) (http://www.ipni.net/). Furthermore,
in 2013, the Association of American Plant Food Control Officials (AAPFCO)
also officially announced Si as a plant “beneficial substance” (http://www.ipni.net/
publication/bettercrops.nsf/0/26A7E8FDB7F2FBBF85257C28007A07BB/$FILE/
BC%202013-4%20p14.pdf). Besides, the beneficial effects of Si for imparting stress
tolerance is also well documented in the form of Si nanoparticles and Si priming
(Abdel Latef and Tran 2016; Rastogi et al. 2019; Parveen et al. 2019; Siddiqui et al.
2020). This chapter focuses on highlighting the significance of Si as a growth
regulator and anti-stress agent.
2 Silicon: A Plant Nutritional “Non-Entity” for Mitigating Abiotic
19