Use of Silicon in Mitigating Ammonium Toxicity in Maize Plants

Cid Naudi  Silva Campos; Renato de  Mello Prado; Cassiano  Garcia Roque; Antonio João  de Lima Neto; Luiz Junior  Pereira Marques; Aridênia  Peixoto Chaves; Claudia Amaral  Cruz

doi:10.4236/ajps.2015.611178

AJPS Vol.6 No.11 , July 2015

Use of Silicon in Mitigating Ammonium Toxicity in Maize Plants

Cid Naudi Silva Campos¹^*, Renato de Mello Prado², Cassiano Garcia Roque³, Antonio João de Lima Neto⁴, Luiz Junior Pereira Marques⁵, Aridênia Peixoto Chaves⁶, Claudia Amaral Cruz⁷

Abstract: Silicon is a beneficial element that can mitigate abiotic stresses, such as ammonium toxicity. The objective herein was to evaluate the effects of silicon (Si) on mitigating toxicity caused by excess ammonium in maize plants grown in nutrient solution. An experiment was conducted with maize plants (cultivar DKB 390 VT Pro II) grown in a greenhouse in pots (8 L) in a hydroponic system. The treatments were arranged in a 2 × 2 factorial, consisting of two ammonium concentrations (30 and 60 mmol·L-1) in the absence and presence of Si (10 mmol·L-1), arranged in a completely randomized design with six repetitions. At 28 days after applying the treatments the dry mass of shoots and roots was evaluated, along with accumulation of silicon and nitrogen in the shoots. The use of silicon resulted in increases in the studied variables, regardless of ammonium concentrations. Silicon reduced the effect of toxicity caused by ammonium excess in maize plants, resulting in greater growth and dry matter accumulation.

Keywords: Zea mays L., Beneficial Element, Nitrogen, Nutritional Disorder, Abiotic Stress

Cite this paper: Silva Campos, C. , Mello Prado, R. , Garcia Roque, C. , de Lima Neto, A. , Pereira Marques, L. , Peixoto Chaves, A. and Cruz, C. (2015) Use of Silicon in Mitigating Ammonium Toxicity in Maize Plants. American Journal of Plant Sciences, 6, 1780-1784. doi: 10.4236/ajps.2015.611178.

References

[1] Lasa, B., Frechilla, S., Lamsfus, C. and Aparicio-Tejo, P.M. (2001) The Sensitivity to Ammonium Nutrition Is Related to Nitrogen Accumulation. Scientia Horticulturae, 91, 143-152.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0304-4238(01)00239-4

[2] Wong, M. (2005) Visual Symptoms of Plant Nutrient Deficiencies in Nursery and Landscape Plants. Soil and Crop Management, 10, 1-4.

[3] Su, S., Zhou, Y., Qin, J.G., Wang, W., Yao, W. and Song, L. (2012) Physiological Responses of Egeria densa to High Ammonium Concentration and Nitrogen Deficiency. Chemosphere, 86, 538-545.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2011.10.036

[4] Wang, C., Song, H.Z., Pei, F.W., Wei, L. and Jie, L. (2010) Effects of Ammonium on the Anti Oxidative Response in Hydrilla verticillata (L.f.) Royle Plants. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 73, 189-195.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoenv.2009.08.012

[5] Lopes, M.S. and Araus, J.L. (2006) Nitrogen Source and Water Regime Effects on Durum Wheat Photosynthesis and Stable Carbon and Nitrogen Isotope Composition. Physiologia Plantarum, 126, 435-445.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1399-3054.2006.00595.x

[6] Horchani, F., Hajri, R. and Aschi-Smiti, S. (2011) Is the Sensitivity to Ammonium Nutrition Related to Nitrogen Accumulation? Current Botany, 2, 18-22.

[7] Roosta, H.R. and Schjoerring, J.K. (2008) Effects of Nitrate and Potassium on Ammonium Toxicity in Cucumber Plants. Journal of Plant Nutrition, 31, 1270-1283.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/01904160802135050

[8] Cramer, M.D. and Lewis, O.A.M. (1993) The Influence of Nitrate and Ammonium Nutrition on the Growth of Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and Maize (Zea mays L.) Plants. Annals of Botany, 72, 359-365.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1006/anbo.1993.1119

[9] Cruz, C., Domínguez-Valdivia, M.D., Aparicio-Tejo, P.M., Lamsfus, C., Bio, A., Martins-Loução, M.A. and Moran, J.F. (2011) Intra-Specific Variation in Pea Responses to Ammonium Nutrition Leads to Different Degrees of Tolerance. Environmental and Experimental Botany, 70, 233-243.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.envexpbot.2010.09.014

[10] Cruz, C., Bio, A.F.M., Domínguez-Valdivia, M.D., Aparicio-Tejo, P.M., Lamsfus, C. and Martins-Loução, M.A. (2006) How Does Glutamine Synthetase Activity Determine Plant Tolerance to Ammonium? Planta, 223, 1068-1080.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00425-005-0155-2

[11] Ma, J.F. (2004) Role of Silicon in Enhancing the Resistance of Plants to Biotic and Abiotic Stresses. Soil Science and Plant Nutrition, 50, 11-18.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00380768.2004.10408447

[12] Ma, J.F. and Yamaji, N. (2006) Silicon Uptake and Accumulation in Higher Plants. Trends in Plant Science, 11, 392-397.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tplants.2006.06.007

[13] Hoagland, D.R. and Arnon, D.I. (1950) The Water Culture Method for Growing Plants without Soils. Agricultural Experimental Station, Berkeley, 347 p.

[14] Bataglia, O.C., Furlani, A.M.C., Teixeira, J.P.F., Furlani, P.R. and Gallo, J.R. (1983) Métodos de análise química de plantas. Instituto Agronômico Campinas, 48 p.

[15] Kraska, J.E. and Breitenbeck, G.A. (2010) Simple, Robust Method for Quantifying Silicon in Plant Tissue. Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis, 41, 2075-2085.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00103624.2010.498537

[16] Ferreira, D.F. (2011) Sisvar: A Computer Statistical Analysis System. Ciência e Agrotecnologia, 35, 1039-1042.

[17] Bybordi, A. (2010) Influence of : Ratios and Silicon on Growth, Nitrate Reductase Activity and Fatty Acid Composition of Canola under Saline Conditions. African Journal of Agricultural Research, 5, 1984-1992.

[18] Feng, J., Shi, Q., Wanga, X., Wei, M., Yang, F. and Xu, H. (2010) Silicon Supplementation Ameliorated the Inhibition of Photosynthesis and Nitrate Metabolism by Cadmium (Cd) Toxicity in Cucumis sativus L. Scientia Horticulturae, 123, 521-530.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.scienta.2009.10.013

[19] Fonseca, I.M., Prado, R.M., Nogueira, T.A.R. and Barbosa, J.C. (2011) Macronutrients in Marandu Palisade Grass as Influenced by Lime, Slag, and Nitrogen Fertilization. Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis, 42, 844-857.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00103624.2011.552659

[20] Liang, Y., Suna, W., Zhub, Y. and Christiec, P. (2007) Mechanisms of Silicon-Mediated Alleviation of Abiotic Stresses in Higher Plants: A Review. Environmental Pollution, 147, 422-428.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2006.06.008

[21] Holzschuh, M.J., Bohnen, H., Anghinoni, I., Pizzolato, T.M., Carmona, F.C. and Carlos, F.S. (2011) Absorção de nutrientes e crescimento do arroz com suprimento combinado de amônio e nitrato. Revista Brasileira de Ciência do Solo, 35, 1357-1366.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S0100-06832011000400030

[22] Borgognone, D., Colla, G., Rouphael, Y., Cardarelli, M., Rea, E. and Schwarz, D. (2013) Effect of Nitrogen Form and Nutrient Solution pH on Growth and Mineral Composition of Self-Grafted and Grafted Tomatoes. Scientia Horticulturae, 149, 61-69.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.scienta.2012.02.012

[23] Jampeetong, A., Brix, H. and Kantawanichkul, S. (2012) Response of Salvinia cucullata to High Concentrations at Laboratory Scales. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 79, 69-74.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoenv.2011.12.003