An experiment was set up to investigate physiological responses of soybeans to silicon (Si) under normal light and shade conditions. Two soybean varieties, Nandou 12 (shade resistant), and Nan 032-4 (shade susceptible), were tested. Our results revealed that under shading, the net assimilation rate and the plant growth were significantly reduced. However, foliar application of Si under normal light and shading significantly improved the net photosynthetic rate (Pn), stomatal conductance (Gs), transpiration rate (Tr), and decreased intercellular carbon dioxide concentration (Ci). The net photosynthetic rate of Nandou 12 under normal light and shading increased by 46.4% and 33.3% respectively with Si treatment (200 mg/kg) compared to controls. Si application also enhanced chlorophyll content, soluble sugars, fresh weight, root length, root surface area, root volume, root-shoot ratio, and root dry weight under both conditions. Si application significantly increased the accumulation of some carbohydrates such as soluble sugar and sucrose in stems and leaves ensuring better stem strength under both conditions. Si application significantly increased the yield by increasing the number of effective pods per plant, the number of beans per plant and the weight of beans per plant. After Si treatment, the yield increased 24.5% under mono-cropping, and 17.41% under intercropping. Thus, Si is very effective in alleviating the stress effects of shading in intercropped soybeans by increasing the photosynthetic efficiency and lodging resistance.

College of Agronomy Sichuan Agricultural University 211 Huimin Road Wenjiang District Chengdu 611130 PR China

College of Agronomy Sichuan Agricultural University 211 Huimin Road Wenjiang District Chengdu 611130 PR China; Sichuan Engineering Research Center for Crop Strip Intercropping System Key Laboratory of Crop Ecophysiology and Farming System in Southwest China Sichuan Agricultural University Chengdu PR China

Department of Botany and Plant Physiology Faculty of Agrobiology Food and Natural Resources Czech University of Life Sciences Prague 16500 Prague Czech Republic

Department of Botany and Plant Physiology Faculty of Agrobiology Food and Natural Resources Czech University of Life Sciences Prague 16500 Prague Czech Republic; Department of Plant Physiology Slovak University of Agriculture 94976 Nitra Slovakia

Department of Botany Government College University of Faisalabad Layyah Campus 31200 Pakistan

Institute of Crop Science Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs Laboratory of Spectroscopy Sensing Zhejiang University Hangzhou 310058 China

Laboratory of Bioclimatology Department of Ecology and Environmental Protection Poznan University of Life Sciences Piątkowska 94 60 649 Poznan Poland

Oil Seed Research Program National Agricultural Research Centre Islamabad Pakistan

К А Timiryazev Institute of Plant Physiology Russian Academy of Sciences Botanicheskaya St 35 Moscow 127276 Russia

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