Silicon Enhances Rice Tolerance to Drought and Blast Disease Through Modulating ROS Accumulation and Stress-Related Genes

Huaying Du; Jinglin Pan; Lulu Sun; Zishen Liao; Jing Bi; Yongqiang Han; Daoqian Chen; Yuanyuan Song; Rensen Zeng

doi:10.3390/plants15050842

Silicon Enhances Rice Tolerance to Drought and Blast Disease Through Modulating ROS Accumulation and Stress-Related Genes

Plants (Basel). 2026 Mar 9;15(5):842. doi: 10.3390/plants15050842.

Authors

Huaying Du^{1

2

3}, Jinglin Pan^{1

2}, Lulu Sun^{1

2}, Zishen Liao^{1

2}, Jing Bi^{1

2}, Yongqiang Han⁴, Daoqian Chen^{1

2

3}, Yuanyuan Song^{1

2

3}, Rensen Zeng^{1

2

3}

Affiliations

¹ Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for Genetics, Breeding and Multiple Utilization of Crops, College of Agriculture, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China.
² Key Laboratory of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of Biological Breeding for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, College of Agriculture, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China.
³ Institute of Chemical Ecology and Crop Resistance, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China.
⁴ College of Life Sciences and Resource Environment, Yichun University, Yichun 336000, China.

Abstract

Silicon (Si) serves as a beneficial element that enhances plant resistance to both abiotic and biotic stresses. Although its positive effects have been widely investigated, the molecular mechanisms by which silicon improves stress tolerance in rice (Oryza sativa L.) remain unclear. Here, we show that Si displayed an optimal improved effect at concentrations of 2-4 mM in hydroponic system, and Si enhanced rice tolerance to drought and blast disease by maintaining reactive oxygen species (ROS) homeostasis and reducing root cell damage. In addition, Si at 4 mM upregulated the ABA biosynthesis gene OsNCED3, stress- and ABA-responsive genes OsDREB2A and OsLEA5, as well as the catalase gene OsCatB, while suppressing the drought-responsive negative regulator OsWRKY5, thereby enhancing drought tolerance through an ABA-dependent signaling pathway. Si at 4 mM enhanced resistance to rice blast by activating defense-related genes OsPBZ1, OsPR10a, OsPR5 and OsWRKY45 while simultaneously boosting ROS-scavenging capacity. Collectively, our results demonstrate that Si enhances rice tolerance to drought and blast disease through the coordinated modulation of ABA signaling, ROS homeostasis, and stress-related gene expression.

Keywords: ROS homeostasis; blast disease; drought; rice; silicon.