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The amendment of soils with silicate (Si) compounds is essential to promote growth performance and control Fusarium wilt disease in bananas. Two successive greenhouse trials were conducted at the experimental farm of the University of Putra Malaysia. The treatments were arranged in split plots using a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with four replicates to investigate the effects of Si compounds and application frequency on controlling FOC. Si compounds were used at a constant concentration of 0.1%: T0 (control), T1 (13% SiO2:20% K2O), T2 (26.6% SiO2:13.4% K2O) and T3 (36.2% SiO2:17% Na2O). There were three application frequencies by day intervals (DI): 0DI (without any application), 7DI (12× within 12 weeks after transplanting (WAT)), 15DI (6× within 12 WAT) and 30DI (3× within 12 WAT). From these findings, we observed that the photosynthesis rate started to increase from 10.6 to 19.4 µmol CO2 m−2s−1, when the total chlorophyll content started to increase from 3.85 to 7.61 mgcm−2. The transpiration rate started to increase from a value of 1.94 to 4.31 mmol H2O m−2s−1, when the stomata conductance started to increase from 0.237 to 0.958 mmol m−2s−1. The proline content started to increase from 22.89 to 55.07 µmg−1, when the relative water content started to increase from 42.92 to 83.57%.

Biostimulants such as silicate (SiO3 2ˆ’) compounds and antagonistic bacteria can alter soil microbial communities and enhance plant resistance to the pathogens and Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense (FOC), the causal agent of Fusarium wilt disease in bananas. A study was conducted to investigate the biostimulating effects of SiO3 2ˆ’ compounds and antagonistic bacteria on plant growth and resistance of the banana to Fusarium wilt disease. Two separate experiments with a similar experimental setup were conducted at the University of Putra Malaysia (UPM), Selangor. Both experiments were arranged in a split-plot randomized complete block design (RCBD) with four replicates. SiO3 2ˆ’ compounds were prepared at a constant concentration of 1. Potassium silicate (K2SiO3 ) was applied on soil uninoculated with FOC, and sodium silicate (Na2SiO3 ) was applied to FOC-contaminated soil before integrating with antagonistic bacteria; without Bacillus spp. ((0B)”control), Bacillus subtilis (BS), and Bacillus thuringiensis (BT). Four levels of application volume of SiO3 2ˆ’ compounds 0, 20, 40, 60 mL) were used. Results showed that the integration of SiO3 2ˆ’ compounds with BS (108 CFU mLˆ’1 ) enhanced the physiological growth performance of bananas. Soil application of 28.86 mL of K2SiO3 with BS enhanced the height of the pseudo-stem by 27.91 cm. Application of Na2SiO3 and BS significantly reduced the Fusarium wilt incidence in bananas by 56.25%. However, it was recommended that infected roots of bananas should be treated with 17.36 mL of Na2SiO3 with BS to stimulate better growth performance.

Silicon (Si) is one of the most prevalent elements in the Plant’s crust which is mostly made up of silicates. Si is not regarded as needed for plant growth and development; nonetheless, there is growing evidence in the literature that this metalloid is advantageous to plants, particularly when plants are under stress. Silicon (Si) is notoriously difficult to eradicate from the nutritional substrate of plants, it has been impossible to demonstrate that plants cannot finish their life cycles without Silicon. Nevertheless, plants get advantages from the presence of Silicon, and it has been shown that Si may boost the plant's resistance to both biotic and abiotic challenges, providing the plant with protection and stability. By analyzing the data that is currently accessible in the published research, this investigation will explore the positive impact of silicon on plant growth. Si transporters are responsible for mediating the movement of Silicon, which is taken up in silicic acid. The amorphous SiO2 structures known as phytolites are generated inside the plant. The decomposition of plants results in the return of phytolites to the soil, which in turn results in the return of Silicon to the soil, where subsequent generations of plants can take it up. Many other kinds of proteins work in concert with Si to protect plants from various pathogens. These data indicate that Silicon must be classified as a necessary plant nutrient rather than just a helpful one. In this study, we highlight the function of Silicon in the soil as well as in plants, particularly with a focus on micronutrients, metabolites, Si fertilizer, crop quality, Prophylactic effects from crop diseases, phytolites, and their importance, the role of Silicon in plant roots, the role of Silicon in plant protection, stabilization, and enhancing plant health and performances, and the role of Silicon in phytolites.

A field investigation was conducted in a Fusarium-infected area to evaluate the effectiveness of silicate compounds with antagonist bacteria on morpho-physiological growth performance in bananas. The roots of banana plants were treated by drenching the soil with four different treatments: control (without any treatment), CBZ (Carbendazim fungicide alone), SS + BS (integration sodium silicate with Bacillus subtilis), and CBZ + SS + BS (integration CBZ, SS, and BS). All treatments were arranged in a randomized complete block design with four replications. The results confirm that plant height, pseudo-stem diameter, and canopy diameter markedly increased from weeks 2 to 10 after transplantation. Amendment with these elements induced a higher total chlorophyll content, which contributed to the increased rate of leaf gas exchange and biochemical changes for controlling Fusarium wilt disease infection. From these findings, the CBZ + SS + BS application in the farm had significantly reduced disease incidence by 16.07 and disease severity by 14.28. The same treatment achieved the greatest disease reduction by 63.05. Therefore, the integration between CBZ + SS + BS had good significant effects in controlling Fusarium wilt disease and enhanced the morpho-physiological growth performance with an average yield production of about 24.72 kg per fruit bunch.

The current study recognised the issues encountered in regenerating Malaysia MR219 rice plantlet via microspore culture and attempted to develop an efficient protocol in overcoming the restraints. In the present study, a high proportion of uninucleate microspores (49.17%) was isolated from Stage 2-Segment II panicle (59–61 days), which also exhibited the highest callus initiation rate of 8.50%. Maintenance of the panicles under a cool temperature of 4 °C for 7 days before isolating the microspores, resulted in the highest microspore viability of 58.33% and callus initiation rate of 9.33%. The microspore isolation protocol was also optimised in the present study. The filtration sieve engagement with a pore size of 80 µm and further suspension centrifugation at 800 rpm for 5 min produced the highest microspore viability percentage and callus initiation rate. The incorporation of 3.0 mg/L kinetin in conjunction with 0.5 mg/L 2,4-D greatly enhanced the callus initiation rate, with 11.33%. The callus proliferation capacity, with the formation of 481.67 mg callus, was significantly promoted by the addition of 1.0 mg/L kinetin and 0.5 mg/L 2,4-D into the growth medium. Moreover, a higher green plantlet regeneration frequency of 2.83% was induced by the supplementation of 8% sucrose, which produced an average of 3.50 green plantlets.

The amendment of soils with silicate (Si) compounds is essential to promote growth performance and control Fusarium wilt disease in bananas. Two successive greenhouse trials were conducted at the experimental farm of the University of Putra Malaysia. The treatments were arranged in split plots using a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with four replicates to investigate the effects of Si compounds and application frequency on controlling FOC. Si compounds were used at a constant concentration of 0.1%: T0 (control), T1 (13% SiO2:20% K2O), T2 (26.6% SiO2:13.4% K2O) and T3 (36.2% SiO2:17% Na2O). There were three application frequencies by day intervals (DI): 0DI (without any application), 7DI (12× within 12 weeks after transplanting (WAT)), 15DI (6× within 12 WAT) and 30DI (3× within 12 WAT). From these findings, we observed that the photosynthesis rate started to increase from 10.6 to 19.4 µmol CO2 m−2s−1, when the total chlorophyll content started to increase from 3.85 to 7.61 mgcm−2. The transpiration rate started to increase from a value of 1.94 to 4.31 mmol H2O m−2s−1, when the stomata conductance started to increase from 0.237 to 0.958 mmol m−2s−1. The proline content started to increase from 22.89 to 55.07 µmg−1, when the relative water content started to increase from 42.92 to 83.57%.

A field investigation was conducted in a Fusarium-infected area to evaluate the effectiveness of silicate compounds with antagonist bacteria on morpho-physiological growth performance in bananas. The roots of banana plants were treated by drenching the soil with four different treatments: control (without any treatment), CBZ (Carbendazim fungicide alone), SS + BS (integration sodium silicate with Bacillus subtilis), and CBZ + SS + BS (integration CBZ, SS, and BS). All treatments were arranged in a randomized complete block design with four replications. The results confirm that plant height, pseudo-stem diameter, and canopy diameter markedly increased from weeks 2 to 10 after transplantation. Amendment with these elements induced a higher total chlorophyll content, which contributed to the increased rate of leaf gas exchange and biochemical changes for controlling Fusarium wilt disease infection. From these findings, the CBZ + SS + BS application in the farm had significantly reduced disease incidence by 16.07% and disease severity by 14.28%. The same treatment achieved the greatest disease reduction by 63.05%. Therefore, the integration between CBZ + SS + BS had good significant effects in controlling Fusarium wilt disease and enhanced the morpho-physiological growth performance with an average yield production of about 24.72 kg per fruit bunch.

Fusarium species were reported to produce biofilms. Biofilms are superficial societies of microbes bounded and endangered by being situated or taking place outside a cell or cells. The most destructive fungal diseases caused by phytopathogens are as a result of biofilms formation. Fusarium wilt of banana (Panama disease) is caused by a soil-borne pathogen called Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense. Fusarium oxysporum occurs in a form of a species complex (FOSC) which encompasses a crowd of strains. Horizontal genetic factor transfer may donate to the observed assortment in pathogenic strains, while sexual reproduction is unknown in the FOSC. Fusarium wilt is a notorious disease on several crops worldwide. Yield loss caused by this pathogen is huge, and significant to destroy crop yields annually, thereby affecting the producer countries in various continents of the world. The disease is also resistant to various synthetic chemical fungicides. However, excessive use of synthetic fungicides during disease control could be lethal to humans, animals, and plants. This calls for alternative eco-friendly management of this disease by targeting the biofilms formation and finally suppressing this devastating phytopathogen. In this review, we, therefore, described the damage caused by Fusarium wilt disease, the concept of filamentous fungal biofilms, classical control strategies, sustainable disease control strategies using essential oils, and prevention and control of vegetables Fusarium wilt diseases.