Combined application of salicylic acid and silicon enhances photosynthetic capacity and yield in different dry-cultivated rice varieties: associations with osmotic adjustment substances and antioxidant enzyme activity
- 1Faculty of Agronomy Jilin Agricultural University/Jilin Province Green and High Quality Japonica Rice Engineering Research Center
- 2College of Life Science, Jilin Agricultural University
Abstract
Single applications of silicon (Si) and salicylic acid (SA) can alleviate plant stress. However, the effects of their combined application on dry-cultivated rice and the differences between varieties remain unclear. A preliminary laboratory experiment established the optimal silicon fertilizer application rate at 45 kg ha ⁻¹ . Subsequently, a preliminary experiment conducted in 2022 determined the optimal SA concentration at 1.0 mM. Based on these findings, four treatments were set up in 2023: control (CK), single application of Si (T1), single application of SA (T2), and Si + SA (T3). The results indicated that the combined application of Si and SA significantly enhanced both the grain yield and photosynthetic capacity of dry-cultivated rice. Under the T3 treatment, grain yield increased by 80.7% and 77.3% in cultivars SJ18 and HK88, respectively, compared with the CK. This yield improvement was primarily attributable to increases in two key yield components: the number of effective panicles (up by 17.6% and 29.3%, respectively) and the number of grains per panicle (up by 26.9% and 22.6%, respectively). The responses of the agronomic traits to the treatment were consistent with the yield trends. Physiologically, the combined application of Si + SA enhanced the photosynthetic capacity of the photosystem II (PSIl) system by improving chlorophyll fluorescence parameters, increasing antioxidant enzyme activities, and enhancing soluble sugar, soluble protein content, endogenous SA, and Si contents. The responses of different varieties to the combined application of Si + SA differed significantly. 10 days after spraying, the soluble sugar and protein content of HK88 increased by 36.1% and 22.7%, respectively, compared with CK, which were numerically greater than the corresponding increases observed in SJ18 (10.7% and 17.4%, respectively). This finding suggests that drought-resistant varieties may require greater accumulation of osmotic adjustment substances to alleviate drought stress. Therefore, the combined application of SA and Si is closely associated with increased levels of osmotic adjustment substances and endogenous SA and Si, as well as enhanced antioxidant enzyme activities. These coordinated physiological responses contribute to enhanced photosynthetic capacity of the PSII system, ultimately improving drought tolerance, dry matter accumulation, and grain yield in dry-cultivated rice. These relationships are further supported by significant positive correlations observed in our structural equation modeling analysis. This approach provides a new and effective way of alleviating drought stress and increasing the yield of dry-cultivated rice.
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BibTeX
@article{liu2026combined,
title = {{Combined application of salicylic acid and silicon enhances photosynthetic capacity and yield in different dry-cultivated rice varieties: associations with osmotic adjustment substances and antioxidant enzyme activity}},
author = {Zichen Liu and Pengfei An and Junjie Huang and Anran Sun and Qianqian Liu and Meikang Wu and Xiaoshuang Wei and Meiying Yang and Guan Wang and Zhihai Wu},
journal = {Frontiers in Plant Science},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3389/fpls.2026.1951660},
url = {https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2026.1951660/full},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Combined application of salicylic acid and silicon enhances photosynthetic capacity and yield in different dry-cultivated rice varieties: associations with osmotic adjustment substances and antioxidant enzyme activity
AU - Zichen Liu
AU - Pengfei An
AU - Junjie Huang
AU - Anran Sun
AU - Qianqian Liu
AU - Meikang Wu
AU - Xiaoshuang Wei
AU - Meiying Yang
AU - Guan Wang
AU - Zhihai Wu
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/19
JO - Frontiers in Plant Science
DO - 10.3389/fpls.2026.1951660
UR - https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2026.1951660/full
AB - Single applications of silicon (Si) and salicylic acid (SA) can alleviate plant stress. However, the effects of their combined application on dry-cultivated rice and the differences between varieties remain unclear. A preliminary laboratory experiment established the optimal silicon fertilizer application rate at 45 kg ha ⁻¹ . Subsequently, a preliminary experiment conducted in 2022 determined the optimal SA concentration at 1.0 mM. Based on these findings, four treatments were set up in 2023: control (CK), single application of Si (T1), single application of SA (T2), and Si + SA (T3). The results indicated that the combined application of Si and SA significantly enhanced both the grain yield and photosynthetic capacity of dry-cultivated rice. Under the T3 treatment, grain yield increased by 80.7% and 77.3% in cultivars SJ18 and HK88, respectively, compared with the CK. This yield improvement was primarily attributable to increases in two key yield components: the number of effective panicles (up by 17.6% and 29.3%, respectively) and the number of grains per panicle (up by 26.9% and 22.6%, respectively). The responses of the agronomic traits to the treatment were consistent with the yield trends. Physiologically, the combined application of Si + SA enhanced the photosynthetic capacity of the photosystem II (PSIl) system by improving chlorophyll fluorescence parameters, increasing antioxidant enzyme activities, and enhancing soluble sugar, soluble protein content, endogenous SA, and Si contents. The responses of different varieties to the combined application of Si + SA differed significantly. 10 days after spraying, the soluble sugar and protein content of HK88 increased by 36.1% and 22.7%, respectively, compared with CK, which were numerically greater than the corresponding increases observed in SJ18 (10.7% and 17.4%, respectively). This finding suggests that drought-resistant varieties may require greater accumulation of osmotic adjustment substances to alleviate drought stress. Therefore, the combined application of SA and Si is closely associated with increased levels of osmotic adjustment substances and endogenous SA and Si, as well as enhanced antioxidant enzyme activities. These coordinated physiological responses contribute to enhanced photosynthetic capacity of the PSII system, ultimately improving drought tolerance, dry matter accumulation, and grain yield in dry-cultivated rice. These relationships are further supported by significant positive correlations observed in our structural equation modeling analysis. This approach provides a new and effective way of alleviating drought stress and increasing the yield of dry-cultivated rice.
SN - 1664-462X
ER -