Silicon and mycorrhizal fungi shape maize drought response differently

In an experiment on drought-stressed maize, silicon and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi produced distinct changes in plant performance, with silicon associated with thicker stems and higher relative water content and fungal inoculation associated with larger leaves and greater root dry weight. After a seven-day drought imposed at the vegetative growth stage, silicon increased stem diameter to 15.17 millimeters and produced the highest relative water content, at 88.33%. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi increased leaf area to 88.41 square centimeters and root dry weight to 25.12 grams. Applying silicon and the fungi together produced the greatest shoot dry weight, reaching 99.10 grams.

The researchers evaluated silicon alone, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi alone and the combined treatment in maize, Zea mays. Leaf water-status traits were measured immediately after the drought, while morphological and biomass traits were evaluated following a five-day recovery period after rewatering. This timing distinction is important because the water measurements and the growth responses were not all collected at the same stage. The study examined biomass allocation and plant water relations under controlled experimental conditions; it did not establish improvements in field yield, long-term drought resilience or production under sustained water limitation.

The clearest contrasts involved traits associated with different parts of the plant. Silicon was associated with greater stem diameter and maintained relative water content, whereas fungal inoculation was associated with larger leaf area and greater root dry weight. The combination supported greater shoot biomass, but this did not translate into a significant change in every measured characteristic. Root-to-shoot ratio, water saturation deficit and water uptake capacity were not significantly affected. The results therefore indicate that silicon and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi altered selected components of maize performance rather than producing a uniform improvement across all biomass- and water-related traits.

Principal component analysis summarized associations among the biomass- and water-related traits and accounted for 61.5% of the total variation. The analysis identifies patterns linking plant form, resource allocation and water status, but it does not independently demonstrate an effect on crop yield. Collectively, the experiment shows that silicon and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi can influence different aspects of maize performance during drought and subsequent recovery. The findings support further evaluation of these interventions for water-limited maize production, while the experimental scope leaves questions about field performance and longer-term benefits unresolved.

Subject of Research: Effects of silicon and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on drought response and biomass allocation in maize

Article Title: Silicon and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi alter biomass partitioning and water-use traits in drought-stressed maize (Zea mays)

Article References: Guanzon, I. M., Dolores, J. F. A. H., Dungo, L. P. P., Mariano, M. A. L., & Vergara, C. J. E. (2026). Silicon and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi alter biomass partitioning and water-use traits in drought-stressed maize (Zea mays). Discover Sustainability. https://doi.org/10.1007/s43621-026-04732-2

Image Credits: AI Generated

DOI: 10.1007/s43621-026-04732-2

Keywords: maize, drought stress, silicon, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, biomass allocation, plant water status, root growth, shoot biomass, controlled experiment, arbuscular, mycorrhizal, fungi