A Zinc Polyphenolic Compound Increases Maize Resistance Against Infection by .

Maize leaf blight (MLB), caused by the fungus , is an important disease affecting maize production. In order to minimize the use of fungicides in agriculture, nutrient-based resistance inducers may become a promising alternative to manage MLB. The goal of this study was to investigate the potential of Semia (zinc (20%) complexed with a plant-derived pool of polyphenols (10%)) to hamper the infection of maize leaves by by analyzing their photosynthetic performance and carbohydrate and antioxidative metabolism, as well as the expression of defense-related genes.

Physiological and Biochemical Aspects of Silicon-Mediated Resistance in Maize against Maydis Leaf Blight.

Maydis leaf blight (MLB), caused by the necrotrophic fungus , has caused considerable yield losses in maize production. The hypothesis that maize plants with higher foliar silicon (Si) concentration can be more resistant against MLB was investigated in this study. This goal was achieved through an in-depth analysis of the photosynthetic apparatus (parameters of leaf gas exchange chlorophyll (Chl) fluorescence and photosynthetic pigments) changes in activities of defense and antioxidative enzymes in leaves of maize plants with (+Si; 2 mM) and without (-Si; 0 mM) Si supplied, as well as challenged and not with .

Silicon mitigates the negative impacts of salt stress in soybean plants.

Background: Soybean is widely cultivated around the world, including regions with salinity conditions. Salt stress impairs plant physiology and growth, but recent evidence suggests that silicon (Si) is able to mitigate this stressful condition. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate how different strategies of Si application impact on salt stress tolerance of an intermediate Si accumulator species (soybean).

New strategy for silicon supply through fertigation in sugarcane integrating the pre-sprouted seedling phase and field cultivation.

Adopting a Si supply strategy can amplify the sugarcane response. Thus, this study aimed to verify whether Si supply in the pre-sprouted seedling (PSS) formation phase would have an effect after field transplanting similar to Si supply only in the field phase (via foliar spraying or fertigation). Furthermore, this study aimed to verify whether Si supply in the PSS formation phase associated with Si fertigation after transplanting can potentiate or amplify Si benefits.

Applicability of DRIS in bananas based on the accuracy of nutritional diagnoses for nitrogen and potassium.

DRIS (Diagnosis Recommendation Integrated System) is a tool used in the interpretation of leaf analyses that values the balance of nutrients, an important fact for a better assessment of the nutritional status of banana plants. Its usefulness depends on the ability to identify the nutrients that limit productivity in order to correct possible nutritional imbalances, but there is a lack of research in all crops, including bananas, to assess the accuracy of these diagnoses, which have a worrying global implication. To this end, this study evaluates DRIS norms for banana cultivation in Ecuador and the use of accuracy measurements for nutritional diagnosis, verifying the capacity of DRIS to detect true nutritional status based on plant response.

Iron biofortification in quinoa: Effect of iron application methods on nutritional quality, anti-nutrient composition, and grain productivity.

Biofortification of iron (Fe) in quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa) grains should have benefits for human health and food security. However, effects of this approach on productivity, as well as Fe content and grain quality remain unknown. Thus, a greenhouse experiment was conducted to determine the impacts of different methods of Fe delivery in a hydroponic system, root application (90 µmol/L), foliar spraying (9 mmol/L), combined root and foliar application, and control (no Fe).

Forms of application of silicon in quinoa and benefits involved in the association between productivity with grain biofortification.

Multiple aspects of the physiological and nutritional mechanisms involved with silicon (Si) absorption by quinoa plants remain poorly investigated, as well as the best way of supplying this element to crops. Thus, this study aimed at evaluating whether the application of Si increases its uptake by quinoa plants and consequently the use efficiency of N and P, as well as the levels of phenolic compounds in the leaves, crop productivity and the biofortification of grains. For this purpose, the concentration of 3 mmol L of Si was tested, according to the following procedures: foliar application (F), root application in the nutrient solution (R), combined Si application via nutrient solution and foliar spraying (F + R), and no Si application (0).

Tomato phytochromes B1 and B2 are part of the responses to the nutritional stress induced by NPK deficiency.

Phytochromes are red-light photoreceptors that play an important role in regulating many responses of plants, including its nutritional control. Nutrient deficiency in plants has become a constraint for agricultural production; thus, we investigated the role of phytochromes B1 and B2 in the nutritional, physiological, and growth changes of the control genotype (WT) and both phyB1 and phyB2 tomato mutants (deficient in phyB1 and phyB2) under nutritional sufficiency and individual deficiency of N, P, and K. Under complete solution, the plants of phyB1 and phyB2 had a decreased N, P, and K accumulation compared with WT and consequently a reduced content of chlorophyll and carotenoids, and dry weight production.

Silicon modifies C:N:P stoichiometry, and increases nutrient use efficiency and productivity of quinoa.

Recognizably, silicon has a beneficial effect on plant growth and productivity. In this respect, it is also known that the C, N and, P stoichiometric ratios and nutrient conversion efficiency allow identifying the interactions between elements while helping to understand the role Si plays in plant growth. This study aims to investigate whether increasing Si concentrations (0, 1, 2, and 3 mmol L) supplied in the nutrient solution is uptaken by quinoa, modifies the C:N:P stoichiometry while increasing nutritional efficiency and crop productivity as well.

Silicon attenuates calcium deficiency by increasing ascorbic acid content, growth and quality of cabbage leaves.

Calcium (Ca) deficiency in cabbage plants induces oxidative damage, hampering growth and decreasing quality, however, it is hypothesized that silicon (Si) added to the nutrient solution may alleviate crop losses. Therefore, this study aims at evaluating whether silicon supplied in the nutrient solution reduces, in fact, the calcium deficiency effects on cabbage plants. In a greenhouse, cabbage plants were grown using nutrient solutions with Ca sufficiency and Ca deficiency (5 mM) without and with added silicon (2.