Abstract
We recently demonstrated that grafted grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) can achieve high phosphorus (P) efficiency under low-P soil conditions through seasonal coordination of rhizosphere P mobilization via root-exuded carboxylates and subsequent P uptake/allocation mediated by PHT transporters (Trailovic et al., Plant and Soil, 2025, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-025-07738-3). However, despite this efficiency, nearly one-third of the P taken up from soil is lost each year through harvested grapes and pruning residues. Moreover, phylloxera-resistant rootstocks have shown different efficiency in P acquisition. In this study, we investigated the effect of silicon (Si) fertilization on the seasonal dynamics of P acquisition in grafted grapevines grown under low-P soil conditions. The field experiment was conducted in a 12-year-old vineyard (cv. Chardonnay grafted onto 5BB rootstock) established on soil with extremely low available P (Olsen P < 2 mg kg⁻¹). Rhizotrons (120 cm in length × 60 cm in width × 80 cm in depth) were installed to enable easy access to intact roots and rhizosheath soil. The treatments included an unfertilized control, P-fertilized, and Si-fertilized vines. Phosphorus was applied as KH₂PO₄ at a rate equivalent to 20 kg P ha⁻¹, and Si was applied via irrigation using 2.5 mM Si(OH)₄ at a rate of 5 kg Si ha⁻¹. Samples of rhizosphere soil, root exudates (collected from root tips), and leaf blades were taken at key growth stages (flowering, pea-sized berries, and veraison). Compared to the unfertilized control, Si supply significantly enhanced root exudation of malate and citrate, particularly at the flowering stage. This was accompanied by strong upregulation of VvPEPC (involved in carboxylate biosynthesis) and VvALMT1 (associated with malate efflux). Additionally, Si application markedly increased expression of the root VvPHT1;1 at all examined growth stages, whereas P fertilization downregulated VvPHT1;1 expression. As a result, leaf P concentrations in Si fertilized vines were significantly higher than in the control and similar to those in P-fertilized plants. In conclusion, Si fertilization enhances P acquisition in grapevine by promoting the mobilization of inorganic P in the rhizosheath via root-released carboxylates and by stimulating the expression of root VvPHT1;1 transporters. These lead to improved P accumulation in leaves comparable to conventional P fertilization. Our findings suggest that Si application may offer a sustainable alternative to P fertilizers for improving P acquisition in grapevine under low-P soil conditions.
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Claims 11
Claim · model-written summary
Silicon supply enhanced malate exudation, particularly at flowering.
- Organ / stage
- flowering stagee0
- Treatment
- Si supplye0
- Outcome
- root exudation of malatee0
- Direction
- enhancede0
- Comparator
- unfertilized controle0
VitisOrganisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Compared to the unfertilized control, Si supply significantly enhanced root exudation of malate and citrate, particularly at the flowering stage”
e1“grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.)”
Claim · model-written summary
Silicon supply enhanced citrate exudation, particularly at flowering.
- Organ / stage
- flowering stagee0
- Treatment
- Si supplye0
- Outcome
- root exudation of malate and citratee0
- Direction
- enhancede0
- Comparator
- unfertilized controle0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Compared to the unfertilized control, Si supply significantly enhanced root exudation of malate and citrate, particularly at the flowering stage”
e1“grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.)”
Claim · model-written summary
Silicon supply was accompanied by strong upregulation of VvPEPC.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“This was accompanied by strong upregulation of VvPEPC (involved in carboxylate biosynthesis)”
e1“grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.)”
Claim · model-written summary
Silicon supply was accompanied by strong upregulation of VvALMT1.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“strong upregulation of VvPEPC (involved in carboxylate biosynthesis) and VvALMT1 (associated with malate efflux)”
e1“grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.)”
Claim · model-written summary
Silicon application increased root VvPHT1;1 expression at all examined stages.
- Treatment
- Si applicatione0
- Gene
- VvPHT1;1e0
- Outcome
- expression of the root VvPHT1;1e0
- Direction
- increasede0
- Qualifier
- all examined growth stagese0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Si application markedly increased expression of the root VvPHT1;1 at all examined growth stages”
e1“grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.)”
Claim · model-written summary
Phosphorus fertilization downregulated VvPHT1;1 expression.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“P fertilization downregulated VvPHT1;1 expression”
e1“grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.)”
Claim · model-written summary
Silicon fertilization raised leaf phosphorus concentration above the control.
- Organ / stage
- leafe0
- Treatment
- Si fertilizede0
- Outcome
- leaf P concentrationse0
- Direction
- highere0
- Comparator
- the controle0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“leaf P concentrations in Si fertilized vines were significantly higher than in the control”
e1“grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.)”
Claim · model-written summary
Leaf phosphorus concentration under silicon fertilization was similar to that under phosphorus fertilization.
- Treatment
- Si fertilizede0
- Outcome
- leaf P concentrationse0
- Direction
- similare0
- Comparator
- P-fertilized plantse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“leaf P concentrations in Si fertilized vines were significantly higher than in the control and similar to those in P-fertilized plants”
e1“grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.)”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors attribute improved phosphorus acquisition under silicon to rhizosheath phosphorus mobilization by root carboxylates.
- Treatment
- Si fertilizatione0
- Outcome
- P acquisitione0
- Qualifier
- mobilization of inorganic P in the rhizosheath via root-released carboxylatese0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Si fertilization enhances P acquisition in grapevine by promoting the mobilization of inorganic P in the rhizosheath via root-released carboxylates”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors attribute improved phosphorus acquisition under silicon to root VvPHT1;1 expression.
- Treatment
- Si fertilizatione0
- Gene
- VvPHT1;1e0
- Outcome
- P acquisitione0
- Qualifier
- stimulating the expression of root VvPHT1;1 transporterse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Si fertilization enhances P acquisition in grapevine by promoting the mobilization of inorganic P in the rhizosheath via root-released carboxylates and by stimulating the expression of root VvPHT1;1 transporters”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors suggest silicon application as an alternative to phosphorus fertilizer under low-phosphorus soil conditions.
- Treatment
- Si applicatione0
- Outcome
- improving P acquisitione0
- Qualifier
- under low-P soil conditionse0
- Comparator
- P fertilizerse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Si application may offer a sustainable alternative to P fertilizers for improving P acquisition in grapevine under low-P soil conditions”
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See all 47 papers →Claims are grouped by organism, treatment and what was measured or targeted. A paper counts as positive when any of its claims in the group is positive.