The Role of Silicon in Overcoming Abiotic Stresses

Even though silicon is not recognized as a crucial element for plant growth and development, the salutary impacts silicon both in growth and development and in combating abiotic stress factors such as heavy metals, drought, UV radiation, and salinity have been demonstrated in different plant families. Silicon is beneficial in overcoming abiotic stress conditions in plants by reducing oxidative stress, enhancing the antioxidant defense system and modulating the expression of key genes associated with hormone metabolism. However, its roles in signal transmission have not yet been fully clarified. For this reason, the promising use of silicon on plants is attracting more attention. This chapter presents information on the various abiotic stress factors that hurt plants, silicon applications in coping with these stresses, and its role in signal transduction.