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Functional Plant Biology Functional Plant Biology Society
Plant function and evolutionary biology
RESEARCH ARTICLE

In vitro silicon supplementation enhanced acclimatisation and growth of sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum) via improved antioxidant and nutrient acquisition patterns in saline soil

Raheel Parvez Abbasi A , Khadija Rafiq B , Sijal Fatima A , Muhammad Tariq Javed A , Muhammad Azeem A C and Muhammad Sohail Akram https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1708-1460 A *
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Department of Botany, Government College University Faisalabad, Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan.

B Department of Botany, University of Gujrat, Gujrat, Pakistan.

C Department of Biology, College of Science, University of Bahrain, Sakhir, The Kingdom of Bahrain.

* Correspondence to: sohailakram79@gmail.com

Handling Editor: Muhammad Waseem

Functional Plant Biology 51, FP22275 https://doi.org/10.1071/FP22275
Submitted: 14 November 2022  Accepted: 25 October 2023  Published: 20 November 2023

© 2024 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Published by CSIRO Publishing

Abstract

Salinity affects crop growth by modulating cellular ionic concentrations and generation of reactive oxygen species. Application of silicon (Si) has proved beneficial in ameliorating salinity-triggered plant growth and yield retardations. Leaf roll explants of three sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum) genotypes (HSF-240, CPF-246, CPF-250) were cultured in Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with K2SiO3. In vitro regenerated plantlets were acclimatised and grown in natural saline soil. In absence of Si, cv. CPF-246 exhibited better salt tolerance as indicted by maximum chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b contents, rate of photosynthesis and root K+ uptake along with less cellular hydrogen peroxide content. Silicon restricted root Na+ uptake but assisted in K+, Ca2+, Mg2+ and Fe2+ accretion in roots and their translocation towards shoots. Cv. HSF-240 and cv. CPF-250 exhibited more increase in photosynthetic pigment content, stomatal conductance and photosynthetic rate after addition of 25 or 50 mg L−1 Si than control group. Optimum phenolic content and antioxidant enzyme activity along with decreased lipid peroxidation and hydrogen peroxide content were recorded in all three sugarcane genotypes raised in presence of 25 or 50 mg L−1 Si. These findings signify Si supplementation (50 mg L−1) in tissue culture medium and plant adaptation in saline soil. Further in vitro studies involving Si-mediated gene expression modulations in sugarcane protoplasts shall assist in deciphering cross-talk between Si uptake and cellular responses. The application of Si can further be tested for other plant species to devise strategies for improved crop growth and utilisation of saline areas for crop cultivation.

Keywords: abiotic stress, lipid peroxidation, oxidants, plant adaptations, plant nutrition, reactive oxygen species, salinity, tissue culture.

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