水稻是中度耐盐的谷类作物，也是硅超积累植物，其耐盐性与硅吸收积累呈密切的内在关联。业已证明，硅能提高水稻的耐盐性。但其机制，尤其是分子机制不清楚。本项目拟研究硅对水稻耐盐性调控的生理与分子机理，具有重要理论意义，对于利用硅肥调控水稻耐盐性、提高产量也具有实际意义。本项目拟拟从硅对盐胁迫下水稻盐分离子、钾和钙离子吸收、转运、分布与区隔化，小分子渗透调节物质的合成与代谢、内源激素如ABA 和GA等调控相关的过程入手，研究硅调控盐胁迫水稻体内这些生理过程及其编码相关酶的基因的表达差异的影响，从而揭示硅对水稻耐盐性调控的生理与分子机理。分析这些受硅调控的生理与基因水平上的差异与水稻耐盐性的关系。为生产上推广水稻施用硅肥提高盐渍化稻田水稻的产量与品质提供理论基础与实用技术。

Rice is a moderate salt-tolerant cereal crop, and also a silicon-hyperaccumulating plant species. The tolerance of rice to salt is interlinked closely to uptake and accumulcation of silicon (Si) in rice plants. It has been well-documented that silicon addition can enhance salt tolerance in rice, however, its mechanisms underpinning is still ambiguous. This project will deal with the physiological and molecular mechanisms of silicon-mediated tolerance to salt stress in rice, and is therefore of cruicial importance theoretically. In addition, the implementation of this project is also of practical importance to regulate salt tolerance in rice and increase the yield of rice by applying silicon fertilizer. The major contents of this project include the Si-mediated effects in salt-stressed rice plant on: 1) uptake and transport, distribution and compartmentalization of salt ions, potassium and calcium; 2) biosynthesis and metabolisms of small-molecule osmotic compounds; 3)change of levels of endogenous plant hormones such as ABA and GA; 4）differential expression of genes encoding for the relevant enzymes responsible for the biochemical processes above. The objectives of this project are to unravel the physiological and molecular mechanims of Si-mediated enhancement of salt tolerance in rice plants by linking these Si-induced changes at physiological and gene levels to salt tolerance. This will provide a theoretical and practical basis for extensively applying Si fertilizer to paddy rice grown on sallinized soils to obtain high yield and quality.