Effects of different silicon treatments on dry weight of rice organs (%).

<p>Si₀: no Si fertilizer; Si₁: slag fertilizer applied at a rate of 187 mg plant-available Si per kg soil; Si₂: slag fertilizer applied at a rate of 560 mg plant-available Si per kg soil; Si₃: slag fertilizer applied at a rate of 935 mg plant-available Si per kg soil; H: slag fertilizer H, Q: slag fertilizer Q; Data are means ± SD of three replicates; mean values followed by different letters (a, b, c) are significantly different (<i>P</i>≤0.05).</p

The pathway analysis of photosynthesis (A and C) and photosynthesis-antenna proteins (B and D) of Zn-sensitive rice (<i>Oryza sativa</i> L.) cultivar grown hydroponically with either normal (0.15 µM) or high (2 mM) Zn without or with 1.5 mM Si for 72 h through high-throughput sequencing.

<p>The pathway analysis of photosynthesis (A and C) and photosynthesis-antenna proteins (B and D) of Zn-sensitive rice (<i>Oryza sativa</i> L.) cultivar grown hydroponically with either normal (0.15 µM) or high (2 mM) Zn without or with 1.5 mM Si for 72 h through high-throughput sequencing.</p

Transmission electron micrographs of chloroplasts from leaves of rice.

<p>Scale bars  = 1 µm. CW, cell wall; SG, starch grain. <b>A</b>: Chloroplast of a control plant grown without silicon fertilizer at the anthesis stage; <b>B</b>: Chloroplast of a silicon treated plant grown with slag (H) applied at a rate of 935 mg plant-available Si per kg soil at the anthesis stage.</p

Experimental design and measured index.

<p>Experimental design and measured index.</p

Si contents in dry matter of shoot and root (A) and Zn contents in dry matter of shoot and root (B) of Zn-sensitive rice (<i>Oryza sativa</i> L.) cultivar grown hydroponically with either normal (0.15 µM) or high (2 mM) Zn without or with 1.5 mM Si for 72 h.

<p>Data are means ± S.D. of three replicates. Note:P-values indicate significance level based on two-way ANOVA. ^*P<0.05, ^**P<0.01. Data followed by different letters in the shoot or root are significantly different according to ANOVA (P <0.05).</p

Genes expression of Zn-sensitive rice (<i>Oryza sativa</i> L.) cultivar grown hydroponically with either normal (0.15 µM) or high (2 mM) Zn without or with 1.5 mM Si for 72 h.

<p>Data are means ± S.D. of three replicates. Note:P-values indicate significance level based on two-way ANOVA. ^*P<0.05, ^**P<0.01. Data followed by different letters are significantly different according to ANOVA (P <0.05).</p

Effects of different silicon (Si) treatments on rice brown spot development at the anthesis stage (%).

<p>Si₀: no Si fertilizer; Si₁: slag fertilizer applied at a rate of 187 mg plant-available Si per kg soil; Si₂: slag fertilizer applied at a rate of 560 mg plant-available Si per kg soil; Si₃: slag fertilizer applied at a rate of 935 mg plant-available Si per kg soil; H: slag fertilizer H, Q: slag fertilizer Q; Data are means ± SD of three replicates; mean values followed by different letters (a, b, c) are significantly different (<i>P</i>≤0.05).</p

<i>P_n</i> (A), <i>T_r</i> (B), <i>G_s</i> (C) and <i>C_i</i> (D) of Zn-sensitive rice (<i>Oryza sativa</i> L.) cultivar grown hydroponically with either normal (0.15 µM) or high (2 mM) Zn without or with 1.5 mM Si for seven days.

<p>Data are means ± S.D. of three replicates. Note:P-values indicate significance level based on two-way ANOVA.^*P<0.05, ^**P<0.01. Data followed by different letters are significantly different according to ANOVA (P <0.05).</p

Scanning electron micrographs with 150 K magnification of rice leaves.

<p>Scale bars  = 20 µm. SC, silica cell; WP, wart-like protuberance; SG, stomatal guard cell. <b>A</b>: <b>t</b>he top second leaf epidermis of a control plant without silicon fertilizer at the anthesis stage; <b>B</b>: The top second leaf epidermis of a silicon-treated rice plant grown with slag (H) applied at a rate of 935 mg plant-available Si per kg soil at the anthesis stage.</p

The main chemical characteristics of two slag-based silicon fertilizers tested in the present study (%).

<p>The main chemical characteristics of two slag-based silicon fertilizers tested in the present study (%).</p