Simultaneous enhancement of sweet corn yield and lodging resistance via silicon application with low-phosphorus management under dense planting in tropical China
- 1Hainan Institute of Industrial Technology, Guangdong Academy of Science
- 2Institute of Nanfan & Seed Industry, Guangdong Academy of Sciences
- 3School of Breeding and Multiplication (Sanya Institute of Breeding and Multiplication), Hainan University
Abstract
Despite the recognized benefits of silicon (Si) fertilizer in crop production, the agronomic mechanisms underlying Si-mediated improvements in lodging resistance and yield stability under low-phosphorus (P) management in sweet corn remain poorly understood. To address this, a three-season field experiment was conducted using a two-factor split-plot design with two Si levels (Si0: 0 kg ha ⁻ ¹ SiO ₂ ; Si1: 50 kg ha ⁻ ¹ SiO ₂ ) as main plots and five P levels (P0-P4: 0–125 kg ha ⁻ ¹ P ₂ O ₅ ) as sub-plots, at a planting density of 60,000 plants ha ⁻ ¹ (33% above local high-yield practice). Our results demonstrated that Si application combined with low-P management (P1: 50 kg ha ⁻ ¹ P ₂ O ₅ ) simultaneously enhanced lodging resistance and yield. This synergistic effect was attributed to four interrelated mechanisms: (1) elevated soil enzyme activities (phosphatase, urease, sucrase, and peroxidase), which might facilitate nutrient and sucrose metabolism; (2) strengthened root-soil anchorage via stimulated brace root formation, with root traits exerting the largest negative direct effect on lodging rate (path coefficient = -0.782, P < 0.001); (3) reinforced basal stem node development through enhanced accumulation of structural carbohydrates (lignin, cellulose, and hemicellulose); and (4) optimized canopy architecture, characterized by favorable leaf angles and a greater proportion of leaf area distributed to the middle canopy layer, which was negatively correlated with lodging rate (r = -0.54, P < 0.001) and positively correlated with yield (r = 0.39, P < 0.01). Collectively, these findings indicate that Si fertilization under low-P regimes offers a promising strategy for improving both stability and productivity in sweet corn production systems.
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BibTeX
@article{liang2026simultaneous,
title = {{Simultaneous enhancement of sweet corn yield and lodging resistance via silicon application with low-phosphorus management under dense planting in tropical China}},
author = {Qinggan Liang and Hongrong Chen and Jianqiang Wang and Qingdan Wu and Bangliang Deng and Yuanxia Qin and Hao Wen and Xianqing Zeng and Jiantao Wu and Hailong Chang},
journal = {Frontiers in Plant Science},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3389/fpls.2026.1919054},
url = {https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2026.1919054/full},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Simultaneous enhancement of sweet corn yield and lodging resistance via silicon application with low-phosphorus management under dense planting in tropical China
AU - Qinggan Liang
AU - Hongrong Chen
AU - Jianqiang Wang
AU - Qingdan Wu
AU - Bangliang Deng
AU - Yuanxia Qin
AU - Hao Wen
AU - Xianqing Zeng
AU - Jiantao Wu
AU - Hailong Chang
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/20
JO - Frontiers in Plant Science
DO - 10.3389/fpls.2026.1919054
UR - https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2026.1919054/full
AB - Despite the recognized benefits of silicon (Si) fertilizer in crop production, the agronomic mechanisms underlying Si-mediated improvements in lodging resistance and yield stability under low-phosphorus (P) management in sweet corn remain poorly understood. To address this, a three-season field experiment was conducted using a two-factor split-plot design with two Si levels (Si0: 0 kg ha ⁻ ¹ SiO ₂ ; Si1: 50 kg ha ⁻ ¹ SiO ₂ ) as main plots and five P levels (P0-P4: 0–125 kg ha ⁻ ¹ P ₂ O ₅ ) as sub-plots, at a planting density of 60,000 plants ha ⁻ ¹ (33% above local high-yield practice). Our results demonstrated that Si application combined with low-P management (P1: 50 kg ha ⁻ ¹ P ₂ O ₅ ) simultaneously enhanced lodging resistance and yield. This synergistic effect was attributed to four interrelated mechanisms: (1) elevated soil enzyme activities (phosphatase, urease, sucrase, and peroxidase), which might facilitate nutrient and sucrose metabolism; (2) strengthened root-soil anchorage via stimulated brace root formation, with root traits exerting the largest negative direct effect on lodging rate (path coefficient = -0.782, P < 0.001); (3) reinforced basal stem node development through enhanced accumulation of structural carbohydrates (lignin, cellulose, and hemicellulose); and (4) optimized canopy architecture, characterized by favorable leaf angles and a greater proportion of leaf area distributed to the middle canopy layer, which was negatively correlated with lodging rate (r = -0.54, P < 0.001) and positively correlated with yield (r = 0.39, P < 0.01). Collectively, these findings indicate that Si fertilization under low-P regimes offers a promising strategy for improving both stability and productivity in sweet corn production systems.
SN - 1664-462X
ER -