The role of silicon in enhancing resistance to bacterial blight of hydroponic- and soil-cultured rice

Here we report for the first time that bacterial blight of rice can be alleviated by silicon (Si) added. In both inoculated and uninoculated plants, shoot dry weight was significantly higher in the +Si plants than in the -Si plants. A soil-cultured trial showed that disease severity was 24.3% lower in the Si-amended plants than in the non-Si-amended plants. Plants that were switched from -Si to +Si nutrient solution and simultaneously inoculated with Xoo also exhibited the same high resistance to bacterial blight as the plants that were treated continuously with Si, with control efficiencies of 52.8 and 62.9%, respectively. Moreover, total concentrations of soluble phenolics and lignin in rice leaves were significantly higher in the +Si plants than in the -Si plants. Polyphenoloxidase (PPO) and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) activities in rice leaves were observed to be higher in the +Si plants than in the -Si plants. The expression levels of Os03g0109600, Prla, Rcht2 and Lox2osPil, were also higher in +Si plants than in -Si plants post-inoculation during the experimental time. Addition of Si resulted in increased Pal transcription, and inhibited CatA and Os03g0126000 expression in the earlier and later stages of bacterial inoculation, respectively.