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Application of silicon enhanced drought tolerance in Sorghum bicolor
Author(s) -
Hattori Taiichiro,
Inanaga Shinobu,
Araki Hideki,
An Ping,
Morita Shigenori,
Luxová Miroslava,
Lux Alexander
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
physiologia plantarum
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.351
H-Index - 146
eISSN - 1399-3054
pISSN - 0031-9317
DOI - 10.1111/j.1399-3054.2005.00481.x
Subject(s) - sorghum , transpiration , stomatal conductance , cultivar , silicon , agronomy , shoot , drought tolerance , photosynthesis , sorghum bicolor , dry matter , drought stress , dry weight , horticulture , chemistry , biology , botany , organic chemistry
The effects of silicon application on the drought tolerance of sorghum ( Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) were investigated for two cultivars differing in drought susceptibility. Silicon application ameliorated the decrease in dry weight under drought stress conditions, but had no effect on dry matter production under wet conditions. Under dry conditions, silicon‐applied sorghum had a lower shoot to root (S/R) ratio, indicating the facilitation of root growth and the maintenance of the photosynthetic rate and stomatal conductance at a higher level compared with plants grown without silicon application. The diurnal determination of the transpiration rate indicated that the silicon‐applied sorghum could extract a larger amount of water from drier soil and maintain a higher stomatal conductance. Very similar effects of silicon application were observed for both cultivars regardless of their drought susceptibility. These results suggest that silicon application may be useful to improve the drought tolerance of sorghum via the enhancement of water uptake ability.