Ken Mix

Plants take up silicon (Si) from the soil which impacts their growth and nutrient accumulation. It increases plant resistance to abiotic and biotic stresses such as drought, salinity, and heavy metal, diseases, and pest infestation. However, until recently, research of Si application on the crop is limited. This article reviews the recent progress of research on Si application on crop growth and yield, nutrient availability in soil and accumulation, and drought tolerance of crop plants. The review’s findings show that Si improves crop development and output under stressful environmental conditions. Silicon increases the availability and accumulation of both macronutrients (nitrogen, potassium, calcium, and sulphur) and micronutrients (iron and manganese). It improves drought resistance by increasing plant water usage efficiency and reducing water loss during transportation. Silicon application is a crucial aspect of crop productivity because of all of these favorable attributes. The gaps in current understandings are identified. Based on the outcome of the present research, future scopes of research on this field are proposed.

The purpose of this study was to assess the impacts of dam construction on streamflow during a severe drought in the upper Colorado River basin (TX), upstream of Lake Buchanan reservoir. The region has experienced severe, prolonged droughts over the past century. To ameliorate the effects of drought, and increase water storage for use during dry periods, several dams were constructed on the mainstem and tributaries of the Colorado River upstream of Lake Buchanan since the late‐1940s. Analysis of flow at the gauge above Lake Buchanan indicated streamflow was significantly reduced during the recent drought (2009–2014), compared with streamflows during the ‘drought of record’ (1950–1957). The construction of these upstream dams reduced streamflow by intercepting and storing water. It is concluded that building reservoirs in the western portion of the basin, largely in response to past droughts, although increasing water supplies for local uses, exacerbated the downstream effects of the hydrological drought, essentially making it the worst in recorded history.