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Various silica body morphologies found in the order Zingiberales, continued. A. Musa coccinea (Musaceae), trough-shaped silica bodies overlying a vascular bundle (bar = 10 m). B. Musa sp. (Musaceae), trough-shaped silica bodies with silica fingers projecting from the base into cell-wall pits (bar = 10 m). C. Ravenala madagascariensis (Strelitziaceae), spiny silica bodies in vascular bundle-sheath cells (bar = 10 m). D. Strelitzia augusta (Strelitziaceae), a bundle-sheath cell containing a druse-like silica body (bar = 20 m). E. Kaempferia aethiopia (Zingiberaceae), an internal costal silica body (bar = 10 m). F. Hornstedtia conica (Zingiberaceae), epidermal, intercostal silica sand (bar = 10 m). G. Alpinia conchigera Zingiberaceae), two forms of silica: intercostal silica sand and costal spherical bodies in epidermal cells (bar = 10 m).
Source publication
Many plants take up soluble monosilicic acid from the soil. Some of these plants subsequently deposit it as cell inclusions
of characteristic structure. This article describes the distribution and diversity of opaline silica bodies in monocotyledons
in a phylogenetic framework, together with a review of techniques used for their examination, and th...
Contexts in source publication
Context 1
... 2F). Within the order Zingiberales, silica bodies are present in all families (Table V) (Tomlinson, 1969), mostly restricted to the vascular bundle-sheath cells (in Cannaceae (Fig. 3A), Costaceae (Fig. 3B), Heliconiaceae (Figs. 3C, 3D), Lowiaceae (Fig. 3E), Marantaceae (Figs. 3F, 3G), Musaceae (Figs. 3H, 4A, 4B), and some genera of Strelitziaceae (Figs. 4C, 4D), often in a hypodermal region adjacent to bundle-sheath sclerenchyma. There are occasional records of silica bodies in other mesophyll cells (Heliconiaceae, Marantaceae, Zingiberaceae), and they are also present in the epidermis in Phenakospermum (Strelitziaceae) and most Zingiberaceae (Figs. 4F, 4G) (Tomlinson, 1969). Silica bodies ...
Context 2
... 3H, 4A, 4B), and some genera of Strelitziaceae (Figs. 4C, 4D), often in a hypodermal region adjacent to bundle-sheath sclerenchyma. There are occasional records of silica bodies in other mesophyll cells (Heliconiaceae, Marantaceae, Zingiberaceae), and they are also present in the epidermis in Phenakospermum (Strelitziaceae) and most Zingiberaceae (Figs. 4F, 4G) (Tomlinson, 1969). Silica bodies in Zingiberales are druse-like (i.e., spherical with a rugose surface) in most genera, but with some exceptions: they are more or less conical in Orchidantha (Lowiaceae) (Fig. 3E) and some Marantaceae, "trough shaped" (i.e., rectangu- lar with a central shallow depression) in most Heliconiaceae and ...
Citations
... Silicon (Si), the second most abundant element in the Earth's crust, varies in its soil content (23-35 wt%) but remains largely insoluble (34)(35). The uptake of silicon by plants, although not considered an essential nutrient, depends on species-specific differences in Si transporter activity (36)(37). ...
Background
Abiotic stressors such as heavy metals and nanoparticles pose significant challenges to sustainable agriculture, with copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs) known to inhibit root growth and induce oxidative stress in plants. While silica nanoparticles (SiO2 NPs) have been shown to increase abiotic stress tolerance, their role in mitigating CuO NP-induced stress in crops, especially monocots, remains poorly understood. This study addresses this critical knowledge gap by investigating how SiO2 NP pretreatment modulates CuO NP-induced stress responses, with a particular focus on root growth inhibition and nitro-oxidative stress pathways.
Results
Using an in vitro semihydroponic system, seeds were pretreated with varying concentrations of SiO2 NPs (100–800 mg/L) before exposure to CuO NPs at levels known to inhibit root growth by 50%. SiO2 NP pretreatment alleviated CuO NP-induced root growth inhibition in sorghum, wheat, and rye but intensified it in triticale. These responses are associated with species-specific alterations in reactive signaling molecules, including a reduction in nitric oxide levels and an increase in hydrogen sulfide in sorghum, a decrease in superoxide anion levels in rye, and elevated hydrogen peroxide levels in wheat. Protein tyrosine nitration, a marker of nitro-oxidative stress, was reduced in most cases, further indicating the stress-mitigating role of SiO2 NPs. These signaling molecules were selected for their established roles in mediating oxidative and nitrosative stress responses under abiotic stress conditions.
Conclusions
SiO2 NP pretreatment modulates CuO NP-induced stress responses through species-specific regulation of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, demonstrating its potential as a tool for enhancing crop resilience. These findings advance the understanding of nanoparticle‒plant interactions and provide a foundation for future applications of nanotechnology in sustainable agriculture.
Clinical trial number
Not applicable.
... Besides resistance, the deposition of silica in the epidermal cells forms a mechanical barrier called the double silica-cuticle layer, which decreases transpiration and improves the water use efficiency (Liang et al. 2007;Rodrigues et al. 2017). The number of silica bodies and rows per cell may be diagnostic for a species but there is usually a range of values and variations linked to the age of the leaf, and environmental conditions must be factored in (Kim et al. 2002;Prychid et al. 2003). This trait can be investigated to understand the resistance of Sarawak rice against rice blast (Hussin et al. 2020;Lai et al. 2019) and yellow stem borer (Cheok et al. 2019;Ling et al. 2020). ...
Oryza sativa L. or commonly known as rice belongs to the family of Poaceae. In Malaysia, rice is normally cultivated either as lowland or upland rice. The present study was undertaken with the objective to characterise and document the variations in anatomical traits of leaf, midrib and the root of 22 lowland and 22 upland rice accessions. The leaf, midrib and root anatomy of the lowland and upland rice accessions have the same fundamental anatomical structure. Stomata were found abundant on the abaxial surface as compared to the adaxial surface in general. It is interesting to note that the upland rice accessions, in general, had higher stomatal density on the adaxial surface. In addition, the upland rice accessions, in general, had larger root and stele diameters as compared to lowland rice accessions. The variation in root diameter is associated to the changes in the number and size or width of cortical cells and stele diameter. Wider stele may allow higher plant water status under water deficit, due to higher hydraulic conductivity. In addition, greater xylem
diameter (indicated by larger stele diameters) is linked to better axial conductance, which improved rice’s ability to absorb and hold more water during water-limiting conditions. These traits are possibly advantageous for upland rice for efficient
water capture, especially under water-deficit stress.
... In Asteraceae, species with Si concentrations higher than 10 mg g −1 are found in the Asteroideae subfamily, which emerged during the Middle Eocene Thermal Maximum 42,43 , while species with Si concentrations lower than 2 mg g −1 are typical of the Carduoideae and Cichorioideae subfamilies, which emerged in cooling episodes 44,45 . In Orchidaceae, Si-rich species are found in the Apostasioideae and Cypripedoidoidae subfamilies, which diversified during a warming episode, whereas Si is notably absent in the Vanilloideae, Orchidoideae, and Epidendrioideae subfamilies that emerged during a cooling episode 46,47 . Fabaceae exhibits low Si concentrations (<1 mg g −1 ) in subfamilies like Caesalpinioideae and Cercidoideae that appeared during cooling episodes, while high-Si species are mainly in the Papilionoideae, particularly the Phaseoleae subclade that emerged during a warming episode 48,49 . ...
Research on silicon (Si) biogeochemistry and its beneficial effects for plants has received significant attention over several decades, but the reasons for the emergence of high-Si plants remain unclear. Here, we combine experimentation, field studies and analysis of existing databases to test the role of temperature on the expression and emergence of silicification in terrestrial plants. We first show that Si is beneficial for rice under high temperature (40 °C), but harmful under low temperature (0 °C), whilst a 2 °C increase results in a 37% increase in leaf Si concentrations. We then find that, globally, the average distribution temperature of high-Si plant clades is 1.2 °C higher than that of low-Si clades. Across China, leaf Si concentrations increase with temperature in high-Si plants (wheat and rice), but not in low-Si plants (weeping willow and winter jasmine). From an evolutionary perspective, 77% of high-Si families (>10 mg Si g⁻¹ DW) originate during warming episodes, while 86% of low-Si families (<1 mg Si g⁻¹ DW) originate during cooling episodes. On average, Earth’s temperature during the emergence of high-Si families is 3 °C higher than that of low-Si families. Taken together, our evidence suggests that plant Si variation is closely related to global and long-term climate change.
... The Ca-Si trade-off is also of special interest since recent studies suggest that, owing to grasses' high Si concentrations (Hodson et al., 2005;Katz, 2014Katz, , 2015, Ca-Si availability can profoundly affect herbaceous ecosystems in terms of dominant plant functional groups, soil microbiome composition and ecosystem functioning (Schaller et al., 2016(Schaller et al., , 2017. This trade-off is observed mostly between biomineralisation of siliceous phytoliths in grasses and of calcium oxalate crystals in many non-grass plant species (Prychid & Rudall, 1999;Prychid et al., 2003;Hodson et al., 2005;Borrelli et al., 2011;Neugebauer et al., 2018). More in-depth understanding of this trade-off's properties (e.g., its magnitude or even validity in different organisation levels such as plant families and biomes) is important for understanding its effects on ecosystems. ...
Plant chemical composition is a trait gaining increasing importance in plant ecology. However, there is limited research on the patterns and drivers of its variation among different plant functional groups and bioclimatic regions. We conducted an analysis of ionomes utilising X‐ray fluorescence on 83 plant species from four distinct functional groups (grasses, legumes, forbs and woody species); we marked plots across 15 sites located in both the desert and Mediterranean bioclimatic regions. The primary factors influencing variations in ionomes are predominantly attributed to bioclimatic factors rather than soil composition. Across all functional groups, plants from the Mediterranean region are characterised by greater association with calcium, whereas desert plants exhibit a higher affinity for strontium (Sr), suggesting its potential role in drought tolerance. Among functional groups, grasses uniquely exhibit distinct ionomic features, primarily due to their higher silicon (Si) concentrations. Plant species' affinities for certain elements and their interactions are likely driven by physiological constraints, whereas variations within a functional group are mostly driven by environmental conditions. We conclude that interactions among elements form physiological phenotypes shaped by natural selection under large‐scale environmental variability, making plant ionome composition an important plant functional trait.
... This alternative pathway likely results in the deposition of silica in amorphous forms within the cell wall or extracellular matrix. Such silica deposits, integrated within the organic matrix and reported as small phytoliths in other plant species, are often resistant to extraction with alkaline digestion (Prychid et al. 2003;Kameník et al. 2013). The tight binding of silica to organic components may explain why some of the bSi in Z. marina resists alkaline digestion and requires digestion with 2.9N HF for complete extraction. ...
Silicon is a major driver of global primary productivity and CO2 sequestration, and is a beneficial element for the growth and environmental stress mitigation of many terrestrial and aquatic plants. However, only a few studies have examined the occurrence of silicon in seagrasses, and its function within seagrass ecosystems and the role of seagrasses in silicon cycling remain largely unexplored. This study uses for the first time two methods, the wet-alkaline digestion and the hydrofluoric acid digestion, to quantify silicon content in seagrass leaves using the species Zostera marina and elaborates on the potential role of silicon in seagrass biogeochemistry and ecology, as well as the role of seagrass ecosystems as a silicon reservoir. The results revealed that seagrass leaves contained 0.26% silicon:dry-weight, which is accumulated in two forms of silica: a labile form digested with the alkaline method and a resistant form digested only with acid digestion. These findings support chemical digestions for silicon quantification in seagrass leaves and provide new insights into the impact of seagrasses on the marine silicon cycle. Labile silica will be recycled upon leaf degradation, benefiting siliceous organisms, while refractory silica will contribute to the ecosystem’s buried silica stock and coupled carbon sequestration. In the Bay of Brest (France), the seagrass silicon reservoir was estimated at 0.18 ± 0.07 g Si m⁻², similar to that of benthic diatoms, underscoring the potential role of seagrasses in silicon biogeochemistry in the land–ocean continuum, where they might act as a buffer for silicon transport to the ocean.
... Udokumentowano, że zastosowanie nanocząstek krzemu reguluje równowagę Na + /K + u ryżu i pomarańczy poprzez regulację ekspresji genów transporterów Na + /K + , w tym HKT, SOS i NHX [72,81]. Ponadto, nanocząstki krzemu wzmacniają produkcję wosku naskórkowego, tworzenie dwuwarstwowej kutykuli wysyconej krzemem oraz krzemionkowych depozytów o różnych kształtach, co ogranicza parowanie i nagrzewanie się roślin [71,82]. Co więcej, aplikacja nanocząstek krzemu roślinom rosnącym w warunkach zasolenia wzmaga absorbcję potasu i jego translokację do komórek szparkowych, gdzie potas reguluje przewodność szparkową [83]. ...
The increasing population, shrinking arable land, and climate change prompt the search for new solutions in agriculture. In a sustainable approach, agriculture should be based on improving the quality and quantity of yields while maintaining biodiversity and protecting the natural environment. Nanotechnology, present in many areas of our lives, offers opportunities to support the development of sustainable agriculture on many levels. Among the numerous solutions and nanomaterials, silicon, which is a natural component of the ecosystem, deserves special attention. In its nanoparticle form, it acquires new, unique properties. This article focuses on the significant role of silicon nanoparticles in organic farming, with particular emphasis on their function as nanofertilizers. The authors analyze the impact of silicon nanoparticles on plant growth and development and their potential in mitigating the negative effects of abiotic stress factors caused by drought, salinity, and exposure to metals. Additionally, the beneficial effects of silicon nanoparticles on plants growing under biotic stress conditions induced by microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi are presented. The paper includes a review of original research results conducted in recent years in this area, as well as possible mechanisms and strategies of silicon nanoparticle action at the physiological, cellular, and molecular levels. The issue of the safety of using nanoparticles in agriculture and the prospects for their further use as a factor enhancing the resistance and productivity of crops are also discussed.
... For both ashes (CSA-R1 and CSA-R2), there was a deviation from the baseline within the 2Θ range of 20 • -30 • , which corresponded to amorphous silica. The plant accumulates silica [22,23] in cellular structures in the form of silica gel (SiO 2 ·nH 2 O). The ash obtained from corn leaves CSA-MX-L (Figure 9c) did not show any crystallized material because leaves were meticulously washed with deionized water before auto-combustion (soil contamination was removed). ...
... For both ashes (CSA-R1 and CSA-R2), there was a deviation from the baseline within the 2Θ range of 20°-30°, which corresponded to amorphous silica. The plant accumulates silica [22,23] in cellular structures in the form of silica gel (SiO2·nH2O). The ash obtained from corn leaves CSA-MX-L (Figure 9c) did not show any crystallized material because leaves were meticulously washed with deionized water before auto-combustion (soil contamination was removed). ...
Agricultural waste availability implies the possibility of recovering energy as biomass. The collateral effect is the production of ashes that, in some cases, have the potential to be reused in the manufacture of cement, mortar, and concrete. This article presents the study of the auto-combustion (unlike all previous studies) of corn (maize) straw (stems and leaves). The auto-combustion temperature was monitored, and the obtained corn straw ash (CSA) was characterized by means of X-ray fluorescence, X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetry, and scanning electron microscopy. Finally, the behavior of ground CSA was analyzed in both the fresh state by measurement of workability on the spreading table and the hardened state by compressive strength measurement on mortars in which 10% of ordinary Portland cement (OPC) was replaced with CSA. These values were compared to both a control mortar (OPC) and a mortar in which OPC was partially replaced with 10% limestone filler. Ashes showed adequate pozzolanic reactivity because, at 90 curing days, the compressive strength of the mortars with 10% replacement of OPC with CSA was practically equal (98% of the strength) to the control mortar without pozzolan replacement. The auto-combustion of biomass is a process that can be easily available, and the results on pozzolanic reactivity of CSA are satisfactory. The auto-combustion could be used by low-income communities to reduce Portland cement clinker use and to recover waste.
... After decomposition of plant tissues these highly durable biogenic silica particles are released into the soil and may remain Phytoliths in bamboos from eastern and north-eastern India: Implications in distinguishing different ecoclimatic conditions and in deciphering Late Holocene climate variability there for millions of years (Prasad et al., 2005;Prychid et al., 2003;Rovner, 1983;Twiss et al., 1969). Grasses produce short and long cell phytolith morphotypes. ...
To develop a phytolith (biogenic silica) reference and to understand the eco-climatic indicative values of some grass silica short cells (GSSCs) occurring in the bamboos (Bambusoideae grasses), one of the chief floral components of eastern and north-eastern parts of India, we studied 44 modern bambusoid grasses and 26 surface soils from different eco-climatic zones covering both the plains and mountainous regions. Of the diverse phytoliths retrieved from the bamboos, Saddle tall and Saddle collapsed were the most abundant types (except in Yushania maling) and these types were also common in surface soil phytolith assemblages of the eastern and north-eastern parts of India. To assess the environmental sensitivity of most consistent morphotypes, we categorized two commonly occurring GSSC morphotypes namely Saddle tall into three groups based on their length and Saddle collapsed into two groups based on their length to width ratio respectively. Pearson’s correlation analysis, principal component analysis (PCA), and redundancy analysis (RDA) were used to understand if these morphotypes could distinguish different eco-climatic conditions. Variability of Saddle tall and Saddle collapsed types (both morphometric and abundance) in bamboos growing in these parts of India is a function of mean precipitation of the wettest quarter (MPWeQ) and mean temperature of the driest quarter (MTDQ). The present results served as a baseline for reevaluating the interpretations of a Late-Holocene fossil phytolith record from the eastern Himalaya further validating the potential of Saddle tall and Saddle collapsed types in reconstructing past climate variability in a wide geographical region.
... Leaf blades were mainly sampled, as they are more taxonomically relevant according to Metcalfe (1960). Additionally, they may have higher levels of silica deposition due to increased evapo-transpiration, as indicated by Prychid et al. (2003) and Chauhan et al. (2011). In contrast, leaf sheaths, which are tougher, are mainly found on the lower part of the plant and were not included in our sampling procedure. ...
The taxonomic differentiation of Panicum miliaceu (broomcorn millet) and Setaria italica (foxtail millet) is of high relevance for archaeology and archaeobotany. The identification of these millets heavily relies on the morphology of the phytoliths in the inflorescence bracts (husks), while other plant parts have been less researched. This study offers a meticulous examination of a distinctive variety of phytoliths in millet leaves, Acute bulbosus. It carries out a comparative analysis of examples of these from modern P. miliaceum and S. italica leaves. To support the robustness of our findings, a case study was done using pieces of burnt clay daub excavated from the Shuanghuaishu site, central China (5,290–4,527 cal bp), which showed clear impressions of millet. The results agree with parallel investigations of diagnostic phytoliths extracted from millet husks, in addition to ethnographic observations of the uses of millet. This research establishes the possibility of differentiating between the leaves of Panicum miliaceum and Setaria italica, from the dimensions and shapes of the Acute bulbosus phytoliths there. These distinguishing features are quantified using a range of criteria and show the potential for identifying the remains of leaves of S. italica and P. miliaceum from archaeological contexts by using morphometric distinctions between the Acute bulbosus phytoliths.
... In addition, morphologically similar phytoliths occur in several other monocot families (e.g. Prychid et al., 2003;Benvenuto et al., 2015). For these reasons, the detailed taxonomic affinities of fossil palm phytoliths remain uncertain and render ecological inferences difficult. ...
... Our survey of palm phytolith morphology shows that there is phylogenetically informative shape and size variation within the family; for example, the production of Petasoid echinate (i.e. hat-shaped) phytoliths is limited to certain clades rather than occurring across all palm subfamilies or tribes (Fig. 2), a result consistent with previous observations (Prychid et al., 2003). However, overlapping phytolith shape and size variation within palms, particularly the high level of intraspecific variation (Supplementary Data Fig. ...
... Although mangrove palms (N. fruticans) produce Petasoid echinate phytoliths, our results show that Petasoid echinate morphotypes are produced by several phylogenetically disparate palm clades ( Fig. 2; Prychid et al., 2003), and those produced by Nypa are not readily distinguished from those of other hat-producing clades. Thus, inferring the presence of mangrove swamps should be supported by additional evidence (e.g. ...
Background and aims
Palm fossils are often used as evidence for warm and wet palaeoenvironments, reflecting the affinities of most modern palms. However, several extant palm lineages tolerate cool and/or arid climates, making a clear understanding of the taxonomic composition of ancient palm communities important for reliable palaeoenvironmental inference. However, taxonomically identifiable palm fossils are rare and often confined to specific facies. Although the resolution of taxonomic information they provide remains unclear, phytoliths (microscopic silica bodies) provide a possible solution because of their high preservation potential under conditions where other plant fossils are scarce. We thus evaluate the taxonomic and palaeoenvironmental utility of palm phytoliths.
Methods
We quantified phytolith morphology of 97 modern palm and other monocot species. Using this dataset, we tested the ability of five common discriminant methods to identify nine major palm clades. We then compiled a dataset of species' climate preferences and tested if they were correlated with phytolith morphology using a phylogenetic comparative approach. Finally, we reconstructed palm communities and palaeoenvironmental conditions at six fossil sites.
Key results
Best performing models correctly identified phytoliths to their clade of origin only 59% of the time. Although palms were generally distinguished from non-palms, few palm clades were highly distinct, and phytolith morphology was weakly correlated with species’ environmental preferences. Reconstructions at all fossil sites suggested that palm communities were dominated by Trachycarpeae and Areceae, with warm, equable climates, and high, potentially seasonal rainfall. However, fossil site reconstructions had high uncertainty and often conflicted with other climate proxies.
Conclusions
While phytolith morphology provides some distinction among palm clades, caution is warranted. Unlike prior spatially-restricted studies, our geographically and phylogenetically broad study indicates phytolith morphology may not reliably differentiate most palm taxa in deep time. Nevertheless, it reveals distinct clades, including some likely to be palaeoenvironmentally informative.
