Effect of sodium silicate on early growth stages of wheat under drought stress

Wheat yield is decreasing due to climate change, and a method to prevent decreasing yield during drought stress is desirable. In this study, wheat cultivars (Koso and Jokyung) were treated with 15% polyethylene glycol-6000 (PEG) and PEG + Si solution (6.5, 8.7, 13.1 and 26.1 mM). The effect of Si treatment on the alleviation of drought stress was measured using the germination test, shoot relative water content (RWC), seedling stage observation, and quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The results of root/shoot length ratio and shoot length ratio showed that Si treatment induced the alleviation of drought stress in Jokyung cultivar. The result of qRT-PCR showed the alleviation of drought stress in Koso cultivar. In addition, the results with shoot RWC and seedling stage observation showed that the alleviation effects of Si treatment was observed with both Koso and Jokyung cultivar at the high concentration of Si (26.1 mM). All these results suggest that Si treatment at a high concentration could be employed to alleviate drought stress in wheat.