Active silicon uptake by wheat

The absorption of Si by wheat, Triticum aestivum L. 'Yecora Rojo,' followed Michaelis-Menten kinetics over a concentration range of 0.004-1.0 mM. K-m and V-max were determined using linear transformations and the calculated curve fitted the data closely. The absorption resulted in accumulation ratios of 200/1 or more. In keeping with that finding, this study also demonstrated that Si uptake by wheat is under metabolic control, being severely restricted by dinitrophenol (DNP) and potassium cyanide (KCN). Silicon uptake by wheat was not significantly affected by phosphate ions, but the chemical analog Ge exerted a direct competitive effect on Si uptake, and vice versa.