Method for improving climate toughness of crops based on exogenous silicate

Abstract

The invention discloses a crop climate toughness improving method based on exogenous silicate, and belongs to the technical field, the method comprises the following steps: applying slightly soluble silicate to field soil before a key growth period of crops sensitive to temperature stress; the method is specially used for a specific scene of persistent temperature rise stress caused by global warming, is strictly verified by an infrared warming field simulation platform, is high in scientificity, and meets the development requirements of future agriculture; according to the invention, the silicon level in a plant body can be stably and mildly improved in the whole growth period of crops, so that the cell wall strength of the crops is systematically enhanced, the photosynthetic structure is optimized, the long-term activity of an antioxidant system is maintained, and the physique and toughness of the crops are fundamentally improved; the used calcium silicate powder is a natural mineral and is wide in source and low in cost; the slow release characteristic in soil avoids rapid leaching loss of effective silicon, the utilization rate is high, the green and sustainable development concept is met, and popularization is facilitated.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of crop cultivation technology, and in particular to a method for improving crop climate resilience based on exogenous silicates. Background Technology

[0002] Global warming is a major challenge facing the world today, with its threat to agricultural production and food security being particularly prominent. Studies have shown that the continuous rise in average temperature and the frequent occurrence of extreme heat events have had a severe stress effect on the growth and development of major food crops such as wheat and rice. This persistent (rather than short-lived acute) heat stress damages the crop's photosynthetic system, disrupts its metabolic balance, and accelerates the aging of its antioxidant system, ultimately leading to a significant decrease in crop yield and deterioration in quality. Therefore, developing effective agronomic measures to enhance crop adaptability under the background of global warming (i.e., "climate resilience") is of vital strategic importance for ensuring national food security.

[0003] Silicon (Si), a beneficial element for plants, is widely recognized for its ability to enhance crop resistance to both biotic and abiotic stresses (such as drought, salinity, and heavy metal toxicity). Existing technologies also include reports on using silicon to alleviate high-temperature stress in crops. For example, Chinese patent CN108925583A discloses "A rice high-temperature resistance agent and its application method," which alleviates short-term heat damage by spraying a soluble sodium silicate solution before the onset of high temperatures. Another example is the article by Wu Chenyang et al., "Exogenous Silicon Reduces High-Temperature-Induced Reduction in Grain Filling of Hybrid Rice," which discloses that spraying sodium silicate three times consecutively during the jointing stage can reduce the high-temperature-induced reduction in grain filling in hybrid rice.

[0004] However, existing technologies have obvious limitations: First, existing technologies primarily focus on short-lived, acute high-temperature events (such as "hot and dry winds"), and the coping strategies employed (such as foliar spraying) are mostly emergency measures. This is fundamentally different from the stress pattern of sustained background temperature increases throughout the entire growth period caused by global warming, and existing reports cannot address the cumulative physiological damage and yield losses caused by the latter.

[0005] Secondly, existing technologies mostly use soluble silicon sources (such as sodium silicate and potassium silicate). Although these silicon fertilizers are fast-acting, they have problems such as high cost, easy to cause local pH increase in soil (alkalization), rapid leaching in soil, and short duration of effect, which do not meet the requirements of long-term fertilizer effectiveness in response to continuous stress.

[0006] Therefore, there is an urgent need in this field for an innovative method to enhance crop climate resilience that is easy to operate, low in cost, environmentally friendly, and has a long-lasting effect, addressing the stress characteristics of climate warming. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The purpose of this invention is to provide a method for improving crop climate resilience based on exogenous silicates, so as to solve the above-mentioned problems.

[0008] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is as follows: A method for improving crop climate resilience based on exogenous silicates, wherein silicate powder is applied to field soil before the critical growth period when crops are sensitive to temperature stress.

[0009] The silicate powder is a natural or artificially synthesized crystalline or amorphous silicate mineral powder.

[0010] As a preferred embodiment, the silicate is calcium silicate, and the application rate of calcium silicate is 2 to 5 tons per hectare per year.

[0011] The calcium silicate mentioned is also known as wollastonite. An appropriate amount of calcium silicate powder weathers rapidly in the soil, which can meet the needs of crops to resist continuous stress throughout their entire growth period.

[0012] As a preferred embodiment, the silicate is calcium silicate, and the fineness of the calcium silicate is 80 mesh to 300 mesh.

[0013] As a further preferred embodiment, the calcium silicate powder has a fineness of 100 to 200 mesh.

[0014] Appropriate fineness helps it to be evenly distributed in the soil and regulates its dissolution rate.

[0015] As a preferred option, the crop is a grass (Poaceae).

[0016] As a further preferred option, the crop is wheat or rice.

[0017] As a further preferred embodiment, when the crop is wheat, the calcium silicate powder is applied within one week before sowing; when the crop is rice, the calcium silicate powder is applied one week before transplanting.

[0018] As a preferred method, when applying silicate powder, the soil moisture should be maintained at 60% to 80% of field capacity. The application method is manual or mechanical spreading. After application, shallow weeding or maintaining a shallow water layer can be carried out to ensure appropriate moisture levels promote the integration of the silicate powder with the soil and its subsequent slow decomposition and release.

[0019] Application of slightly soluble silicates in the preparation of soil conditioners or specialized fertilizers to enhance crop climate resilience. In addition to direct application to the soil, slightly soluble silicates such as calcium silicate can be added to soil conditioners or specialized fertilizers to improve crop climate resilience.

[0020] This invention achieves stable photosynthetic performance, enhanced antioxidant capacity, and optimized yield components in crops under temperature rise stress through the aforementioned method, ultimately resulting in stable or even increased yields.

[0021] Compared with the prior art, the advantages of the present invention are as follows: (1) This invention is the first to explicitly set “improving crop climate resilience” as its goal. The technical solution is specifically designed for the specific scenario of continuous temperature rise stress caused by global warming. It has been rigorously verified by the infrared warming field simulation platform. It is scientifically sound and meets the future development needs of agriculture. (2) Compared with the "emergency" effect of soluble silicon fertilizer in the prior art, the slightly soluble silicate powder used in this invention continuously releases silicon elements in the soil through slow weathering. It can stably and gently increase the silicon level in the plant throughout the entire crop growth period, thereby systematically enhancing the strength of crop cell walls, optimizing photosynthetic structure, and maintaining the long-term vitality of the antioxidant system, fundamentally improving its "physique" and "resilience". Field experiments have confirmed that, under simulated temperature rise (+2℃) conditions, wheat and rice grown using the method of this invention exhibit a 63% higher leaf area index compared to the control group without silicon application (grain-filling stage: the rice yield formation period); ultimately, all yield components are optimized, resulting in a 17.6% increase in yield compared to the control group without silicon application. (3) Environmental friendliness and economy: The calcium silicate powder used in this invention is a natural mineral with wide availability and low cost. Its slow release characteristics in the soil avoid the rapid leaching of effective silicon, resulting in high utilization rate. Unlike soluble silicon fertilizers, it does not cause secondary problems such as soil alkalization, which is in line with the concept of green and sustainable development. (4) Simple operation and easy to promote: This method is combined with traditional fertilization and inter-row management measures. It does not require complicated equipment or extra labor. The steps are simple and easy to be accepted by farmers and applied in large-scale agricultural production. It has extremely high promotion value. Attached Figure Description

[0022] Figure 1 This is a field operation effect diagram of the third-generation T-FACE open heating platform; Figure 2 A comparison of rice yields in 2023 and 2024 under different treatment methods; Figure 3 A comparison of wheat yields in 2023 and 2024 under different treatment methods; Figure 4 Comparison of silicon content in rice leaves in 2023 and 2024 under different treatments; Figure 5 A comparison of rice leaf area index in 2023 and 2024 under different treatments; Figure 6 Comparison of single grain weight of rice in 2023 and 2024 under different treatments. Detailed Implementation

[0023] To explain the technical content, objectives, and effects of the present invention in detail, the following specific embodiments are provided to further illustrate the content of the present invention. However, the content of the present invention is far more than the following examples.

[0024] The following examples illustrate a method for simulating temperature rise in experimental fields: Adopting the third-generation T-FACE open heating platform: The third-generation T-FACE open-field warming platform is the world's first comprehensive climate change experimental device capable of simultaneously simulating increases in atmospheric CO2 concentration, crop canopy temperature, and soil and water temperatures in a completely open field environment. Established in a typical rice-wheat rotation field in Nanjing, China, the platform aims to accurately simulate the 2050 climate scenario (a 200 ppm increase in CO2 concentration and an overall environmental warming of 2°C).

[0025] The platform comprises eight test zones: four control zones and four face zones. Each face zone has a diameter of 12 meters and an octagonal jet emission pattern. CO2 emissions are controlled via PID control. The temperature rise zone, located downwind of the face and control zones, is circular. Air is heated using infrared lamps, with a target temperature of background temperature +2°C. 1000W infrared lamps are used for air heating, and 24V resistance heating elements are used for water and soil heating. Unlike previous devices that only focused on aboveground climate change, this system achieves comprehensive "three-dimensional warming" by integrating intelligent PID-controlled CO2 spraying technology, infrared canopy warming technology, and field heating zone soil and water warming technology. This fills the gap in open systems that neglect the crucial factor of root and soil warming. Operational data shows that it maintains extremely high control accuracy even under varying wind speeds (CO2 and temperature control compliance rates both exceed 84%), providing the most realistic experimental method currently available for in-depth research on the impacts of climate change on food security and soil ecological processes (such as carbon cycling and acidification). For details, please refer to: https: / / www.issas.ac.cn / xwzx / kjjz / 202309 / t20230911_6877428.html. Its field operation results are as follows: Figure 1 As shown, infrared thermal imaging analysis confirmed that the system achieved a highly uniform heating effect in the field. Compared to the control area, the warming treatment area successfully maintained the preset 2°C air temperature increase, providing a stable and accurate simulated environment for assessing the impact of climate warming on crops.

[0026] It should be noted that, compared to existing technologies that use sodium silicate, foliar fertilizers, etc., to generate warming conditions (such as only crop canopy warming or passive warming), which are out of touch with reality, the temperature rise simulation conditions of this invention are currently the closest to the future climate in terms of three-dimensional temperature rise: three-dimensional temperature rise of crop canopy, water, and soil. This is more in line with the reality of global warming, and the resulting technical effects are more convincing.

[0027] Unlike existing technologies that typically employ single-canopy warming or passive over-the-counter (OTC) warming, traditional methods often neglect the crucial impact of soil and water heat flux changes on root systems, leading to a disconnect between the simulated environment and future real-world climate scenarios in terms of thermodynamic transfer processes. This invention overcomes this limitation by utilizing the world's first open-environment, comprehensive, three-dimensional, synergistic warming system encompassing the canopy, surface water, and soil. This highly realistic simulation environment overcomes the challenge of asynchronous warming between the aboveground and underground parts, ensuring that the technical effects assessed under these conditions (such as the regulatory effects of sodium silicate or foliar fertilizers on crops) more accurately reflect the real-world response under future climate warming, significantly improving the scientific reliability and predictability of the obtained experimental data.

[0028] The physicochemical properties of the calcium silicate powder used in the following examples are as follows: Particle size <75μm, composition and content (wt.%): CaSiO3 69.4%, CaCO3 2.6%, SO2 14.8%, Ca6Si6O7(OH)2 13.1%. Example 1

[0029] Rice field experiment, experimental variety: Ningxiangjing 9.

[0030] Experimental Groups: It is divided into four groups, namely: "Control" group: The experimental plots were not subjected to heating treatment and no calcium silicate powder was added. "Silicate" group: The experimental plots were not heated, but 2 tons / hectare / year of calcium silicate were applied one week before transplanting; "Warming" group: The experimental plots were heated by 2°C, but no calcium silicate powder was added. The "warming + silicate" group: the experimental plots were heated by 2°C and 2 tons / hectare / year of calcium silicate were applied one week before transplanting.

[0031] The remaining planting and management methods were the same for all four groups.

[0032] The results are as follows Figure 2 As shown, from Figure 2 It can be seen that under the stress of a 2°C increase in temperature, the application of an appropriate amount of calcium silicate significantly increased rice yield. Specifically: 2023: The warming treatment alone (i.e., the "warming" group) resulted in a significant decrease in rice yield compared to the "control" group (approximately 578.6 g / m³). 2 The yield of the "heating + silicate" treatment group significantly rebounded to approximately 717.6 g / m³. 2 (p<0.05), essentially returning to the level of the "control" group; 2024: The yield of the "warming" group was approximately 706.7 g / m³. 2 The yield increased significantly to 830.8 g / m³ after the addition of calcium silicate ("heating + silicate" group). 2 (p<0.05). It can be seen that the application of an appropriate amount of silicate in 2023 had a significant mitigating effect, and the continued application of an appropriate amount of silicate in 2024 maintained this mitigating effect. Example 2

[0033] Wheat field experiment, experimental variety: Ningmai 13.

[0034] Experimental Groups: It is divided into four groups, namely: "Control" group: The experimental plots were not subjected to heating treatment and no calcium silicate powder was added. "Silicate" group: The experimental plots were not heated, but 1 ton / hectare / year of calcium silicate powder was applied one week before sowing. "Warming" group: The experimental plots were heated by 2°C, but no calcium silicate powder was added. The "warming + silicate" group: the experimental plots were heated by 2°C and 1 ton / hectare / year of calcium silicate powder was applied one week before sowing.

[0035] The remaining planting and management methods were the same for all four groups.

[0036] The results are as follows Figure 3 As shown, from Figure 3 It can be seen that silicates also have a significant effect on alleviating heat stress in wheat. Specifically: 2023: Under warming conditions, the application of calcium silicate powder increased wheat yield from approximately 570.6 g / m². 2 Significantly increased to 770.3g / m 2 (p<0.01); 2024: Although overall production fluctuated due to interannual factors, the application of calcium silicate powder treatment (i.e., "heating + silicate group") resulted in approximately 633.9 g / m³. 2 Compared to the simple heating treatment (i.e., "heating" approximately 447.5 g / m³), 2 It still shows a clear trend of production compensation, with an increase of about 41.6%. Example 3

[0037] The potential mechanism by which the method of this invention promotes rice growth This embodiment reveals the potential mechanism for increased rice yield through physiological index analysis. Specific methods include: during the heading and grain-filling stage of rice, destructive sampling was performed, collecting three standard plants from each treatment. All green leaves were cut, scanned, and the leaf area (LAI) was determined. After blanching at 105℃, drying at 75℃ to constant weight, grinding, and sieving, the silicon content of the plants was determined using the high-temperature alkali fusion-molybdenum blue colorimetric method. At maturity, field yield measurements were conducted. After threshing, air-drying, and screening for plump grains, the single-grain weight was obtained by converting the thousand-grain weight. Under warming conditions, the application of silicates significantly improved key growth indicators of rice. (1) Leaf silicon content: such as Figure 4 As shown, warming typically inhibits silicon absorption in rice, but this trend was significantly reversed by applying an appropriate amount of calcium silicate powder to the soil at the right time. In particular, in 2024, the leaf silicon content of the "warming + silicate" treatment group (approximately 8.1%) was significantly higher than that of the "warming" group alone (approximately 4.7%, p<0.001), indicating that exogenous silicon effectively replenished the silicon pool in the plant.

[0038] (2) Leaf Area Index (LAI): such as Figure 5 As shown, applying an appropriate amount of calcium silicate powder to the soil at the right time significantly improved canopy development under heat stress. Data from 2024 showed that warming caused a significant decrease in canopy area (LAI) to approximately 3.27 m. 2 / m 2 The LAI significantly recovered to 5.04m after the application of silicate. 2 / m 2 (p<0.01), maintaining an effective photosynthetic area.

[0039] (3) Weight per grain: such as Figure 6 As shown, applying an appropriate amount of calcium silicate powder to the soil at the right time significantly increased the single grain weight by promoting grouting. Data from 2023 showed that warming caused the single grain weight to decrease to approximately 22.5 mg, while the silicate application treatment significantly increased it to 24.6 mg (p<0.001). Although the differences between groups narrowed in 2024, the silicate application group still maintained a numerical advantage.

[0040] In conclusion, under the T-FACE-simulated 2°C climate warming scenario, applying an appropriate amount of calcium silicate powder to the soil at the right time significantly alleviated the stress effects of high temperatures on rice and wheat by promoting silicon absorption by plants, maintaining leaf area index, and increasing single grain weight, thus effectively ensuring crop yield.

[0041] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the invention. Various modifications and variations can be made to the present invention by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for enhancing the climate resilience of a crop based on exogenous silicate, characterized in that, The method is to apply a slightly soluble silicate to the field soil before the critical growth period of the crop sensitive to temperature stress.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein, The slightly soluble silicate is calcium silicate, and the application amount of the calcium silicate is 2-5 tons per hectare per year.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein, The slightly soluble silicate is calcium silicate, and the fineness of the calcium silicate is 80-300 mesh.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein, The fineness of the calcium silicate powder is 100-200 mesh.

5. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The crop is a crop of the family Gramineae.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein, The crop is wheat or rice.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein, When the crop is wheat, the timing of applying the calcium silicate powder is within one week before sowing; when the crop is rice, the timing of applying the calcium silicate powder is within one week before transplanting.

8. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein, When the slightly soluble silicate powder is applied, the field soil humidity is kept at 60%-80% of the field water holding capacity.

9. Use of a slightly soluble silicate in the preparation of a soil conditioner or a special-purpose fertilizer for improving the climate resilience of a crop.

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