Luo Huifang, Abubakar Ahmad Yusuf, Lu Qianqi, Abdullaziz Sheidu, Ibrahim Muhammed Mustapha, Fallah Nyumah, Chen Pinghua
Quality Inspection and Testing Center for Sugarcane and Derived Products, Ministry of Agriculture, National Engineering Research Center for Sugarcane, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China.
Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for Genetics, Breeding and Multiple Utilization of Crops, College of Agriculture, Fujian Agriculture and Forest University, Fuzhou, 350002, China.
Planta. 2025 Apr 30;261(6):121. doi: 10.1007/s00425-025-04693-2.
Silicon application at a concentration of 2 mM induced sugarcane resistance to Nigrospora oryzae by upregulating pathogen recognition and defense genes, thus increasing plant metabolic activities and productivity. Sugarcane is an important global food and industrial crop, but numerous pathogens threaten its productivity. Our team recently identified the fungus Nigrospora oryzae as a pathogen affecting sugarcane's growth and productivity. Although silicon supplementation is active against most fungi, it remains unclear if it would enhance the resilience of sugarcane to N. oryzae, and molecular mechanisms underlying this process are yet to be explored. In this study, we explored the effects of four silicon concentrations (control, 1 mM, 2 mM, and 4 mM) on the growth and disease resistance of seedlings of the sugarcane variety ROC22 under fungal stress. Employing an integrative approach combining detailed phenotypic analysis with transcriptomic and metabolomic profiling, we elucidated the underlying molecular mechanisms of silicon's protective effects. Results indicated that optimal concentrations (2 mM) of silicon enhanced disease resistance and significantly improved plant height, root characteristics, and enzymatic activities. Transcriptomic analysis revealed an upregulation of genes (826) involved in pathogen recognition and defensive response, while metabolomic analysis highlighted alterations in metabolic pathways pertinent to stress response. These findings suggest that silicon supplementation could effectively bolster sugarcane's defense against fungal diseases, offering new insights into its role in plant pathology and paving the way for developing more resilient crop varieties.
以2 mM的浓度施用硅，通过上调病原体识别和防御基因，诱导甘蔗对稻黑孢菌产生抗性，从而提高植物的代谢活性和生产力。甘蔗是一种重要的全球粮食和经济作物，但众多病原体威胁着它的生产力。我们的团队最近鉴定出稻黑孢菌是一种影响甘蔗生长和生产力的病原体。虽然补充硅对大多数真菌都有活性，但它是否能增强甘蔗对稻黑孢菌的抗性尚不清楚，这一过程的分子机制也有待探索。在本研究中，我们探讨了四种硅浓度（对照、1 mM、2 mM和4 mM）对甘蔗品种ROC22幼苗在真菌胁迫下生长和抗病性的影响。采用将详细的表型分析与转录组学和代谢组学分析相结合的综合方法，我们阐明了硅保护作用的潜在分子机制。结果表明，最佳硅浓度（2 mM）增强了抗病性，并显著提高了株高、根系特征和酶活性。转录组分析显示，参与病原体识别和防御反应的基因（826个）上调，而代谢组分析突出了与应激反应相关的代谢途径的变化。这些发现表明，补充硅可以有效地增强甘蔗对真菌病害的防御能力，为其在植物病理学中的作用提供了新的见解，并为培育更具抗性的作物品种铺平了道路。
