In recent years, heavy metal (HM) toxicity has emerged as one of the greatest threats to crop production. Increased anthropogenic activities such as modern agricultural practices, fertilizer application, sewage disposal, mining, and industrialization have caused the widespread distribution of heavy metals. Increasing HM concentration beyond the permissible limit causes harmful effects to living entities including plants as well as human beings through the food chain.
Throughout their history, plants have modified their anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, and molecular networks to survive under changing environmental conditions. Increasing evidence suggests that elemental silicon (Si) - the second most abundant element in the earth’s crust - plays a crucial role in enhancing plant tolerance against multiple abiotic stresses including HM toxicity. Though Si is not an essential element for plants, its significant role has been observed in various plant species.
The use of Si can stimulate plant growth and mitigate heavy metal stress. In addition, Si is not harmful to plants even when present in excess. There is also increasing interest in the use of Si fertilizers for large-scale application in field crops. Therefore, a better understanding of Si-mediated stress tolerance mechanisms including HM toxicity could become a sustainable strategy for increasing crop yield, improving quality, and mitigating heavy metals stress in the near future.
This Research Topic will gather research papers with a focus on topics that include, but are not limited to the following:
• Understanding independent principle mechanisms of Si-mediated HM tolerance in plants
• Si-mediated uptake and transport of HM in plants
• Si potential to mitigate HM stress for sustainable agriculture
• Silicon Nanoparticle (SiNP)-mediated HM stress management
We seek research publications that include data on products (fruits, grains, vegetables) or the end source (humans or animals). We also encourage authors to publish well-formulated studies that achieved results that challenge dominant views in the literature.
In recent years, heavy metal (HM) toxicity has emerged as one of the greatest threats to crop production. Increased anthropogenic activities such as modern agricultural practices, fertilizer application, sewage disposal, mining, and industrialization have caused the widespread distribution of heavy metals. Increasing HM concentration beyond the permissible limit causes harmful effects to living entities including plants as well as human beings through the food chain.
Throughout their history, plants have modified their anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, and molecular networks to survive under changing environmental conditions. Increasing evidence suggests that elemental silicon (Si) - the second most abundant element in the earth’s crust - plays a crucial role in enhancing plant tolerance against multiple abiotic stresses including HM toxicity. Though Si is not an essential element for plants, its significant role has been observed in various plant species.
The use of Si can stimulate plant growth and mitigate heavy metal stress. In addition, Si is not harmful to plants even when present in excess. There is also increasing interest in the use of Si fertilizers for large-scale application in field crops. Therefore, a better understanding of Si-mediated stress tolerance mechanisms including HM toxicity could become a sustainable strategy for increasing crop yield, improving quality, and mitigating heavy metals stress in the near future.
This Research Topic will gather research papers with a focus on topics that include, but are not limited to the following:
• Understanding independent principle mechanisms of Si-mediated HM tolerance in plants
• Si-mediated uptake and transport of HM in plants
• Si potential to mitigate HM stress for sustainable agriculture
• Silicon Nanoparticle (SiNP)-mediated HM stress management
We seek research publications that include data on products (fruits, grains, vegetables) or the end source (humans or animals). We also encourage authors to publish well-formulated studies that achieved results that challenge dominant views in the literature.