Research points to silicon as an ally of agriculture in the fight against climate change

Silicon is an ally in contemporary agriculture, especially in crops such as soybeans, which face challenges due to climate change. This is what the new booklet of the Rural Producer Series, produced at the Luiz de Queiroz College of Agriculture (Esalq) at USP, explains, with the theme Silicon as a mitigator of water deficit in soybean crops.

The book explains that prolonged droughts and extreme weather events are reducing agricultural production capacity and depleting water resources, making it even harder for rural communities to maintain their livelihoods. Combined with climate events and growing environmental challenges, world hunger is becoming one of the most urgent humanitarian crises.

The booklet aims to help reduce this process: its content is aligned with item 2 of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals of the UN 2030 Agenda – Zero Hunger and Sustainable Agriculture. It was produced by Viviane Vieira Machado, a specialist in Plant Physiology, Nutrition and Plant Development; Alasse Oliveira da Silva, a PhD student in Plant Science; and Simone da Costa Mello, a professor in the Department of Plant Production, all from Esalq.

Contribution to soybean cultivation

Although not classified as essential for plants, silicon has been shown to be highly beneficial for the growth and development of agricultural crops, especially soybeans. According to the authors, research indicates that silicon plays an important role in the metabolic and physiological activities of plants, being effective in mitigating the effects of water deficit, one of the main abiotic stress factors in agriculture.

Among the benefits of silicon, there is an improvement in leaf architecture, which optimizes solar incidence and reduces water transpiration. In addition, silicon activates the plants' antioxidant defense system and increases photosynthetic capacity, factors that contribute to greater resistance and vigor of crops. However, the authors warn that the efficiency of silicon use can vary significantly depending on the species cultivated, the time and the application dosage.

Thus, the work points to the need for more targeted research, which considers the specificities of each crop and its capacity to absorb and accumulate silicon, since, in the case of soybean farming, studies on the impact of silicon are still scarce and present diverse results, which reinforces the importance of more in-depth investigations.