title: Silicon improves the tolerance of wheat seedlings to ultraviolet-B stress.
abstract: Enhanced ultraviolet-B (UV-B) irradiation is one of the most important abiotic stresses that could influence the growth and physiological traits of plants. In this work, we reported the effects of silicon on the growth and physiological characteristics of wheat seedlings (Triticum aestivum L. cv Hengmai5229) subject to UV-B stress. Treatments with silicon significantly increased total biomass and chlorophyll (a + b) content, and reduced malondialdehyde (MDA) content and the rate of superoxide radical (O(2) (-) ) production in wheat seedlings subjected to UV-B stress. Silicon treatments also induced an increased in soluble sugar, anthocyanins, and flavonoid content. Leaf silicon concentration increased with the increasing of silicon supply to soil. Positive correlations were found in leaf silicon concentration with total biomass, chlorophyll (a + b), proline, and soluble protein content, respectively. MDA content and the rate of O(2)(-) production were negatively correlated with leaf silicon concentration in seedlings. The results demonstrated that silicon alleviated the damage caused by UV-B on wheat seedlings to some extent by the increase in antioxidant compounds content and leaf silicon concentration.
authors.affiliation: The College of Life Sciences, Hebei University, Baoding 071002, China. yaoxiao301@126.com
authors.forename: Xiaoqin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.forename: Jianzhou
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chu
authors.forename: Kunzheng
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.forename: Long
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Jiandong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Wenyue
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Geng
mesh_terms: D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000378:metabolism*; D036226:Seedlings / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000528:radiation effects*; D012825:Silicon / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014908:Triticum / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000528:radiation effects*; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D008315:Malondialdehyde; D012825:Silicon