Silicon-mediated changes on some physiological and enzymatic parameters symptomatic of oxidative stress in barley grown in sodic-B toxic soil

SummaryThe effect of silicon (Si) on the growth, sodium (Na), chloride (Cl), boron (B) concentrations, lipid peroxidation (MDA), membrane permeability (MP), lypoxygenase activity (LOX), proline (PRO) and H2O2 accumulation, and the activities of major antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, SOD; catalase, CAT and ascorbate peroxidase, APX) of barley grown in original sodic-B toxic soil were investigated. Si applied to the sodic-B toxic soil at 70, 140 and 280 mg kg−1 levels significantly increased Si concentrations of the plants and counteracted the deleterious effects of sodicity (Na ions) and B on shoot growth. Membrane permeability and the concentrations of H2O2 and MDA increased, while PRO concentration decreased in plants grown in sodic-B toxic soil without Si. LOX activity was increased by applied Si. Compared with control plants, the activities of SOD and CAT were decreased, but APX was increased by applied Si levels.