Silicon alleviates the impairments of iron toxicity on the rice photosynthetic performance via alterations in leaf diffusive conductance with minimal impacts on carbon metabolism.

Iron (Fe) toxicity is often observed in lowland rice (Oryza sativa L.) plants, disrupting cell homeostasis and impairing growth and crop yields. Silicon (Si) can mitigate the effects of Fe excess on rice by decreasing tissue Fe concentrations, but no information exists whether Si could prevent the harmful effects of Fe toxicity on the photosynthesis and carbon metabolism.