Silicon-mediated heat tolerance in higher plants: A mechanistic outlook

Heat stress, resulting from global warming, is considered one of the major challenges to be addressed for increasing plant survival and productivity worldwide. Although plants have a built-in defense mechanism against heat stress, such strategy seems to be insufficient to counteract heat adversities under extreme temperature regimes. Hence, increasing heat tolerance in plants for sustainable yields is one of the biggest challenges for researchers in the coming decades. Conventional plant breeding approach to enhance heat tolerance has gained some successes; however, more efforts are needed to make plants resilient to heat stress for increasing crop production during ongoing climate change. Thus, exploring ‘heat stress mitigation strategies’ using cost-effective and eco-friendly approaches may be quick and sustainable alternatives. The use of silicon (Si) and Si-nanoparticles (Si-NPs) in enhancing heat tolerance in plants has recently gained much attention. Application of Si and Si-NPs can assist plants to overcome heat-induced oxidative stress through the acceleration of reactive oxygen species detoxification by modulating the antioxidant systems and regulating transcription of key genes associated with heat stress responses. In fact, molecular rationale behind Si-mediated heat tolerance in plants is largely unknown. In this minireview, we made efforts to understand the mechanistic aspects of heat-induced responses and damages in plants, and possible molecular dynamics of Si-induced heat tolerance in plants. We also highlighted recent advances on how Si induces heat tolerance potential in plants and future perspectives on how Si can contribute to sustainable crop production under the increasing threat of global climate change.