Silicon improves the emergence and sanity of rice seedlings obtained from seeds infected with Bipolaris oryzae

This study investigated the importance of silicon (Si) in rice grain husk in association with fungicide treatment for preventing Bipolaris oryzae transmission from seed to seedling and the improvement in seedling emergence. Plants from cv. Oochikara and its mutant (lsi1 mutant) defective in active Si uptake were grown in nutrient solution without (-Si) or with (+Si) Si and their panicles were inoculated with B. oryzae. Seeds were evaluated for brown spot severity (BSS) and husk Si concentration. The Si concentration in the husks of cv. Oochikara plants was up to four times higher than the lsi1 mutant plants. BSS was significantly reduced in the husks of the seeds obtained from +Si plants, particularly for cv. Oochikara. A higher percentage of seedling emergence occurred for +Si plant seeds, particularly for cv. Oochikara, and a lower percentage of infected seedlings was observed for the +Si cv. Oochikara treatment, particularly for the fungicide treated seeds. Fungicide was not efficient in preventing seedling infection by B. oryzae for seeds with BSS greater than 50%. High Si concentration in the husk resulted in lower BSS and the fungicide efficiency was greater with a low BSS on seeds from +Si plants, particularly for cv. Oochikara.