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Increasing the leaf silicification of cereal crops to ameliorate defenses against stresses and improve yields constitutes a major challenge in (sub-)tropical regions with highly desilicated soils. We tested the efficacy of different biochars – as readily available alternatives to commercial fertilizers – to increase leaf silicification and understand subsequent impacts of leaf traits that might benefit crops.

We compared the application of two biochars (rice-derived biochar with 198 g kg^− 1 of Si and cotton-derived biochar with 4 g kg^− 1 of Si) and wollastonite (240 g kg^− 1 of Si) at two application rates on the leaf silicification patterns and leaf traits of rice growing in pots containing highly desilicated soil (Ferric Lixisol) from Burkina Faso.

Leaf Si increased from 19.0 to 70.4 g kg^− 1 with Si addition (control < …