The role of silicon (Si) in increasing plant resistance against fungal diseases

Summary The use of silicon (Si) in agriculture has attracted a great deal of interest from researchers because of the numerous benefits of this element to plants. The use of silicon has decreased the intensity of several diseases in crops of great economic importance. In this study, the relationship between silicon nutrition and fungal disease development in plants was reviewed. The current review underlines the agricultural importance of silicon in crops, the potential for controlling fungal plant pathogens by silicon treatment, the different mechanisms of silicon-enhanced resistance, and the inhibitory effects of silicon on plant pathogenic fungi in vitro. By combining the data presented in this paper, a better comprehension of the relationship between silicon treatments, increasing plant resistance, and decreasing severity of fungal diseases could be achieved.