Conference Program
9th International Conference on Silicon in Agriculture
Venue: Crowne Plaza Hotel, Belgrade, Serbia
| Time | Monday, September 15, 2025 |
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| 17:00 – 20:00 | Registration, poster mounting and sponsor exhibition booth set-up |
| 19:00 | Welcome reception |
| Time | Tuesday, September 16, 2025 |
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| 08:00 – 09:00 | Registration, poster mounting and sponsor exhibition booth set-up |
| Opening Session Chair: Brenda Tubana, USA Former President of the International Society of Silicon in Agriculture (ISSAG) | |
| 09:00 – 09:10 | Conference opening by Miroslav Nikolić Chairman of the Conference and President of the ISSAG |
| 09:10 – 09:15 | Welcome address (Vice)Rector of the University of Belgrade |
| 09:15 – 09:30 | Musical program |
| 09:30 – 10:15 | Opening plenary presentation Investigating silicon in natural systems to inspire research on crop plants Hans Lambers, Australia |
| 10:15 – 11:00 | Opening plenary presentation Silicon transport, accumulation and regulation in rice Jian Feng Ma, Japan |
| 11:00 – 11:30 | Coffee break and poster viewing |
| Session I: Silicon Availability and Dynamics in Soils Chair: Prakash Nagabovanalli, India; Hong Liao, China | |
| 11:30 – 12:00 | Keynote presentation The importance of reactive silica for soil health and sustainable agriculture Jörg Schaller, Germany |
| 12:00 – 12:15 | Silicon fertilization in contrasting soils: availability, plant uptake, and yield in a soybean-sorghum-soybean rotation Mônica Sartori de Camargo, Brazil |
| 12:15 – 12:30 | Root exudates differently mobilize silicon from soil pools under low nutrient conditions Ljiljana Kostic Kravljanac, Serbia |
| 12:30 – 12:45 | Silicon-phosphorus co-application enhances fertilizer P uptake and utilization efficiency Jakob Santner, Germany |
| 12:45 – 13:45 | Lunch and poster viewing |
| 13:45 – 14:00 | Altium, Serbia Demonstration of the Skalar SAN++® flow analyzer for automated wet silicon determination |
| Session II: Mechanisms of Silicon Uptake, Transport and Deposition in Plants Chair: Alexander Lux, Slovakia | |
| 14:00 – 14:15 | The biology and chemistry of silica deposition in leaf silica cells Rivka Elbaum, Israel |
| 14:15 – 14:30 | A transporter required for cell-specific deposition of silicon in rice Namiki Mitani-Ueno, Japan |
| 14:30 – 14:45 | Shoot-Silicon-Signal, a phloem mobile protein to optimize silicon accumulation in rice Naoki Yamaji, Japan |
| 14:45 – 15:00 | A validated portable X-ray fluorescence approach for rapid silicon analysis in plant tissues Clístenes Nascimento, Brazil |
| 15:00 – 15:15 | Interplay between silicon and lignin in sorghum stem mechanics Srinath Palakurthy, Israel |
| 15:15 – 15:30 | Silicon accumulation in shoots is required for drought stress tolerance in barley Gabriel de Oliveira Ragazzo, Germany |
| 15:30 – 16:00 | Coffee break and poster viewing |
| Session IIIA: The Role of Silicon in Alleviating Abiotic and Biotic Stresses – Abiotic Stress Chair: Rivka Elbaum, Israel | |
| 16:00 – 16:30 | Keynote presentation Silicon and abiotic stress in plants Yongchao Liang, China |
| 16:30 – 16:45 | Silicon enhances salinity resilience in Medicago truncatula by regulating proline metabolism and silicon transporter gene expression Ahmed El Moukhtari, Morocco |
| 16:45 – 17:00 | Amorphous silica fertilizer enhances barley drought tolerance at critical phenological stages: Insights from a mesocosm experiment Wael Al Hamwi, Germany |
| 17:00 – 16:15 | Deciphering the role of silicon and algae-based biostimulants in drought-stressed tomato
plants using RNAseq analysis Seyed Hosseini, France |
| 17:15 – 17:30 | Silicon improves shoot and root growth of wheat subjected to aluminium stress Suma Karki, Australia |
| 17:30 – 17:45 | Impact of silicon on wheat responses to drought stress Katie Shaw, UK |
| Evening | Serbian cultural evening – University Botanical Garden “Jevremovac” |
| Time | Wednesday, September 17, 2025 |
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| Session IIIB: The Role of Silicon in Alleviating Abiotic and Biotic Stresses – Botic Stress Chair: Fabrício Rodrigues, Brazil | |
| 08:30 – 09:00 | Keynote presentation The elusive properties of silicon against biotic stress Richard Bélanger, Canada |
| 09:00 – 09:15 | Field application of silicate suppresses rice insect pest populations and damage Maolin Hou, China |
| 09:15 – 09:30 | Silicon impairs grasshopper elongation: evidence from a mesocosm experiment Ofir Katz, Israel |
| 09:30 – 09:45 | Transcriptome analysis and whole genome sequencing provide insights into silicon-mediated resistance to the fall armyworm Jyoti Sharma, USA |
| 09:45 – 10:00 | Factors affecting the role of silicon in protecting crops against pathogens: a meta-analysis Sarah Thorne, UK |
| 10:00 – 10:30 | Coffee break and poster viewing |
| Session IV: Impact of Silicon on Plant Growth, Crop Yield, and Nutritional Quality Chair: Yongchao Liang, China | |
| 10:30 – 11:00 | Keynote presentation Silicon roles on crop growth, productivity, and quality Brenda Tubana, USA |
| 11:00 – 11:15 | Potential use of silicon in crop production in Poland Arkadiusz Artyszak, Poland |
| 11:15 – 11:30 | The effect of Si fertiliser on yield and biogenic Si content of different grassland cultivars – results from a pot experiment using organic topsoil Danuta Kaczorek, Germany |
| 11:30 – 11:45 | Synergistic effects of silicon and chitosan emulsion on extending shelf-life and maintaining the quality of blackberry fruit Muhammad A. Shahid, USA |
| 11:45 – 12:00 | Silicon enhances recovery from heat stress and defoliation by boosting plant productivity through balancing nutrient use efficiency in Brachypodium distachyon Sajjad Reyhani Haghighi, Australia |
| 12:00 – 13:00 | Group photography, lunch and poster viewing |
| Session V: Silicon Cycling in Ecosystems and Implications on Climate Change Chairs: Ofir Katz, Israel; Nina Nikolić, Serbia | |
| 13:00 – 13:30 | Keynote presentation Will climate change affect silicon accumulation in plants and does this matter for resistance to stresses? Scott Johnson, Australia |
| 13:30 – 13:45 | Plant silicon – tough stuff or not? Julia Cooke, UK |
| 13:45 – 14:00 | Plant silicon content as a proxy for understanding plant community properties and ecosystem structure Ofir Katz, Israel |
| 14:00 – 14:15 | Silicon accumulation in pioneer vegetation for spontaneous post-mining restoration Nina Nikolić, Serbia |
| 14:15 – 15:00 | Silicon exhibits two independent modes of action in crops: Enhancing water use efficiency and promoting carbon sequestration Peter Prentice, Australia |
| 15:00 – 15:30 | Coffee break and poster viewing |
| 15:30 – 16:00 | Sponsor presentations Agripower, Australia INTERMAG, Poland |
| Session VI: Advances in Silicon Fertilizers and Sustainable Management Practices Chair: Clistenes Nascimento, Barazil | |
| 16:00 – 16:15 | Long term effect of silicon-based fertilizers on sustainable rice farming, soil health and climate resilience Prakash Nagabovanalli B., India |
| 16:15 – 16:45 | A new mineral conversion process unlocks vast silicate resources to deliver plant-available Si while removing CO2 from the atmosphere Matthew Kanan, USA |
| 16:45 – 17:00 | Silicon fertilization in Hesse: Adapting fertilization management for improved plant performance under drought conditions Lukas Kehm, Germany |
| 17:00 – 17:15 | Synergistic action of silicon and calcium formate in enhancing plant resistance to abiotic and biotic stress Wojciech Kępka, Poland |
| 17:15 – 17:30 | Silicon-based biostimulants: Theory and practice Vladimir Matichenkov, Russia |
| 17:30 – 17:45 | Foliar application of silicon as a novel approach for increasing drought resilience in silicon-excluding crops Jummy Ogedengbe, Australia |
| Evening | Gala dinner – White Palace |
| Time | Thursday, September 18, 2025 |
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| 08:30 – 09:30 | General Poster Session and Graduate Student Poster Competition |
| Epstein Memorial Session Chair: Miroslav Nikolić, Serbia | |
| 09:30 – 10:00 | Keynote presentation Emanuel Epstein: Plant nutritionist extraordinaire and his advocacy for silicon as an essential plant nutrient Lawrence Datnoff, USA |
| 10:00 – 10:30 | Invited presentation Forty-five years of plant silicon research. A personal review Martin J. Hodson, UK |
| 10:30 – 11:00 | Coffee break and poster viewing |
| 11:00 – 11:10 | Epstein Award ceremony |
| 11:10 – 11:30 | Transporters involved in xylem loading, local distribution and deposition of silicon in rice Sheng Huang, Japan (Epstein Award – early-career researcher category)) |
| 11:30 – 11:50 | Why do plants silicify? Félix de Tombeur, France (Epstein Award – early-career researcher category)) |
| 11:50 – 12:10 | Temperature dependence of plant silicification: From laboratory to field, and from pesent to antiquity Zhihao Pang, China (Epstein Award – PhD student category) |
| 12:00 – 13:30 | Lunch and poster viewing |
| 12:00 – 13:30 | Meeting of the ISSAG Officers and Board Members, and the Former ICSA Chairs |
| Closing Session Chairs: Miroslav Nikolić, Serbia; Jin Feng Ma, Japan; Scott Johnson, Australia | |
| 13:30 – 14:30 | Pannel discussion Future of Silicon Research and Application in Agriculture |
| 14:30 – 14:50 | Student Poster Awards and Speaker Recognition |
| 14:50 – 15:00 | Appointment of new ISSAG President and Board |
| 15:00 – 15:15 | Introduction to the 10th ICSA 2028 |
| 15:15 – 15:45 | Concluding remarks and farewell coffee |
| From 16:00 | City tour (optional) or free time |
| Time | Friday, September 19, 2025 |
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| From 7:30 | Excursion |
List of Posters
9th International Conference on Silicon in Agriculture
Venue: Crowne Plaza Hotel, Belgrade, Serbia
Session I: Silicon Availability and Dynamics in Soils
PI-1
Dynamics of silicon, nutrients and trace elements in soil solutions: potential relationships with amorphous silica biomineralizations in Mollisols of the southeastern Pampean Plain, Argentina
PI-2
Amorphous silica reduces N2O emissions from arable land at the field plot scale
PI-3
Phosphorus and silicon dynamics in Brazilian soils: Effects of silicon addition on phosphorus sorption
PI-4
Residual silicon increases labile phosphorus availability in two tropical soils
PI-5
Evaluation of available silicon in two tropical soils using different chemical extractants
PI-6
Silicon-solubilizing potential of bacteria isolated from the rhizosphere of field-grown wheat in Chernozem soil
Session II: Mechanisms of Silicon Uptake, Transport, and Deposition in Plants
PII-1
Silicon transport and accumulation in coconut (Cocos nucifera)
PII-2
Phloem mobility and leaf remobilization of silicon in cucumber
Session IIIA: The Role of Silicon in Alleviating Abiotic and Biotic Stresses – Abiotic Stress
PIIIA-1
Residual effect of silicate fertilization on ratoon sugarcane under water deficit conditions: plant biomass, nutrient element concentrations, and Si:C:N:P stoichiometric ratios
PIIIA-2
Photosynthetic performance of ratoon sugarcane under water deficit conditions as affected by silica fertilization
PIIIA-3
Effect of Si treatment of bean seeds on the plant response to Fe deficiency stress.
PIIIA-4
Improved sugarcane performance under water stress through silicon application in field conditions
PIIIA-5
Root K+ and H+ transport dynamics in the early response to salt stress in Si-pretreated barley seedlings
PIIIA-6
Silicon alleviates copper toxicity: Insights from transcriptome and miRNAome analysis
PIIIA-7
Effect of silicon on mitigation of salinity stress in two various crops
PIIIA-8
Effect of silicon on the antioxidant capacity of chard under salt stress
PIIIA-9
Silicates moderate hydrogen peroxide levels in the roots of plants: Application to hypoxia and salt stress
PIIIA-10
Silicon enhances freezing tolerance in Valencia orange by modulating antioxidant defense and carbohydrate metabolism
PIIIA-11
Silicon modulates cell wall binding of excess boron differently in wheat and sunflower leaves
PIIIA-12
Silicon enhances seasonal acquisition of phosphorus in Chardonnay grapevines grown under field conditions
Session IIIB: The Role of Silicon in Alleviating Abiotic and Biotic Stresses – Biotic Stress
PIIIB-1
Soil-applied silicon in the management of barley diseases
PIIIB-2
Silica nanoparticle spray to tomato leaves reduces fungal proliferation
PIIIB-3
Foliar application of nutrients and silicon for increasing soybean resistance against infection by Phakopsora pachyrhizi
PIIIB-4
Induction of anatomical and biochemical defense mechanism against leaf rust of wheat by application of silicon fertilization
PIIIB-5
Stolbur-phytoplasma infection and foliar silicon application differentially affect the leaf ionome of Chardonnay grapevines
PIIIB-6
Silicon modifies leaf ionome, larval performance and herbivore nutrient uptake under pathogen infection
PIIIB-7
Silicon mitigates Macrophomina phaseolina root infection in sugar beet
Session IV: Impact of Silicon on Plant Growth, Crop Yield, and Nutritional Quality
PIV-1
Silicon enhances nodulation and dinitrogen fixation in Trifolium incarnatum L.
PIV-2
Effect of silicon oxide nanoparticles on photosynthetic efficiency in pea (Lathyrus oleraceus Lam.)
PIV-3
Influence of mixed nanoparticles systems containing SiO₂ NPs on pea physiology
PIV-4
Effect of silicon fertilization on leaf rust development, grain yield and other growth parameters of wheat
PIV-5
Effect of fertigation with Optysil on cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) yield
PIV-6
Foliar application of silicic acid enhances quality and modulates the anthocyanin composition of Cabernet Sauvignon grapes
PIV-7
Effect of K₂SiO₃ fertilization on root yield and quality of sugar beet grown under extreme weather conditions in Serbia
PIV-8
Silicon-mediated modulation of olive leaf phytochemistry: Genotype-specific and stress-dependent responses
Session V: Silicon Cycling in Ecosystems and Implications on Climate Change
PV-1
PhytOC sequestration potential and silicon cycling in Indian rice ecosystem
PV-2
Biogenic amorphous silica in the silicon biogeochemical cycle of natural, agro-ecosystems
and wetlands in the southeastern Pampean Plain, Argentina
PV-3
Effect of silicon fertilization and crop rotation on PhytOC sequestration in Vojvodina wheat
production systems
PV-4
Silicon enhances carbon bio-sequestration in wheat under elevated CO₂
Session VI: Advances in Silicon Fertilizers and Sustainable Management Practices
PVI-1
Foliar silicon in crop nutrition: Bioavailability, mode of action, and biostimulant potential
PVI-2
Improving performance of traditional mineral fertilizers by active Si: economical, ecological, and social benefits
PVI-3
Microbial activity responses to silicon fertilization in onion-grown soils under semiarid conditions
PVI-4
Soil silicon fertilizers: Identification of sustainable sources with high plant availability
PVI-5
Silicon enhances residual phosphate fertilization efficiency in rainfed rice in tropical soils
PVI-6
Assessment of natural wollastonite as a source of plant-available silicon
PVI-7
The synergistic effects of silicon and amino acids in foliar application: A sustainable approach to plant resilience and efficiency
PVI-8
Evaluation of novel Si-based fertilizers formulated with indigenous silicon sources for rice cultivation
PVI-9
Silicon-rich slag used to boost sugar beet productivity or to reduce need for nitrogen fertilizer
PVI-10
A novel calcium silicate fertilizer for enhanced silicon delivery and gigaton-scale CO₂ removal
