Metalloids in Plants: Advances and Future Prospects

Abstract

Climate change, global temperature rise, and increasing abiotic and biotic environmental stresses diminish agricultural productivity. To sustainably improve agricultural productivity to meet the ever-growing demands, it is necessary to employ ecologically compatible and environmentally friendly solutions to reduce stresses in plants. Silicon (Si) has been widely reported to promote growth and alleviate nonbiological and biological stresses in plants. Si is nonpolluting, noncorrosive, innocuous even in excess, and palliative. In this chapter, the action mechanisms through which silicon could assuage abiotic and biotic stresses in crops, as well as the outlook that Si fertilization is going to become a sustainable strategy to manage plant stresses in agriculture, are discussed. Future research needs on the use of Si fertilizers for nonbiological and biological stresses are also highlighted. © 2020 John Wiley & Sons Ltd. All rights reserved.