Silicon is widely known for its use in electronics. However, did you know silicon plays an important role in plant nutrition as well?  

Are your fruit tree branches breaking under heavy loads, or paddy plants falling after a storm? This may indicate your crops need stronger internal support, which silicon can provide. 

What is silicon?

Silicon is a chemical element commonly found in the Earth's crust, present in most soils primarily as silicate materials. It is considered a beneficial nutrient for plants. Although it is not considered an essential nutrient like nitrogen or potassium, silicon acts as a powerful ally in boosting plant resilience and performance. 

How is silicon absorbed by plants?

Silicon is present in soils mainly as silicate minerals (such as quartz), which are insoluble solids that plants cannot absorb. Plants can only absorb silicon in the form of monosilicic acid [Si(OH)₄], which is water-soluble and comes from soil organic matter such as plant residue and microorganisms. Plant-available silicon comes mainly from soil solution and can be limited, which is why fertilization is sometimes necessary. 

Silicon structure in plants

After silicon is absorbed through the roots and leaves, it is deposited in several areas throughout the plant. Silicic acid links together and forms amorphous silica, accumulating within and between cells. Silica deposition is highest in areas such as leaves, stems, roots, inflorescences, and sometimes hulls and panicles in grasses. These silicon deposits are called phytoliths. Phytoliths are also called "plant stones" and are like armor for plants — they make plant structures tougher, stronger, and more resilient against stress.

 Some examples of silicon deposits in maize (a), rice (b) and wheat (c). (Alhousari and Greger, 2018)   

Why is silicon important to plant health?

Silicon improves plant health and boosts growth significantly in three ways:

1. Pest and disease protection 

2. Stronger and tougher plant structures

3. Tolerance against environmental stress 

A. Pest and disease protection

In Malaysia, one of the major limiting factors in crop productivity has always been pests and diseases, such as insects and fungal diseases. The conventional method to control pests and diseases is pesticide use, which rely on active ingredients to kill the target pest. While this method is extremely effective, long-term usage can lead to pests developing pesticide resistance,  causing that active ingredient to be ineffective for that pest population in the future. 

Instead of relying only on pesticides, we can use silicon to equip plants with better defense systems. Phytoliths made from accumulated silicon confer toughness and rigidity to plants, making them harder for insects to feed on and digest, reducing feeding damage caused by insects. Silicon also accumulates under the cuticular layer forming a strong double layer that prevents fungal penetration, thus reducing diseases caused by fungal infections. 

Silica-cuticular layer forms a physical barrier to prevent fungal infection. (Wang et. al., 2017) 

B. Stronger and tougher plant structures

Strong plant structures ensure that the plant does not break even under mechanical stress, such as rain, wind and heavy branch loads. One of the ways to make structures stronger is by improving cell wall composition. Other than cellulose and lignin, deposited silica also acts like an exoskeleton, contributing to mechanical strength and rigidity. 

Grasses such as rice are prone to lodging, which refers to the state of bent of broken plant stems due to wind, rain or top-heaviness. Hence, tall plants with weak stems and heavy panicles are more prone to lodging. Silicon helps paddy plants remain standing during bad weather, acting like internal scaffolding. Thus, paddy stalks become thicker and more rigid to resist lodging. 

In broadleaves such as durian, tree branches tend to suffer from heavy loads of fruits and leaves, especially in older trees. Heavy and long branches tend to break in strong winds and rain. Silicon can be used in addition to calcium to strengthen tree branches. Phytoliths help to make branches and peduncles tougher, reducing branch, flower and fruit dropping. 

C. Tolerance against environmental stress

In these past few years, climate change has led to unpredictable weather and caused environmental stress towards crops. Stresses such as drought, extreme temperature changes and salinity can cause poor plant health and reduced yields. This can be seen in inconsistent flowering and fruiting seasons, and a drop in yields.

While environmental factors like weather and salinity cannot always be controlled or predicted, we can ensure that our crops are well-equipped to face these harsh conditions. 

One of the ways to do this is through silicon application. Silica deposited in leaves makes them more rigid and erect, Therefore, leaves are still able to perform photosynthesis under water stress conditions where normal leaves would wilt. Furthermore, silicon helps reduce water loss during heat stress, and reinforces cell walls to prevent cell sap leakage and wilting in saline conditions. Silicon helps plants retain water and maintain nutrient uptake, acting like a shield against harsh climate conditions. 

Silicon fertilization with WUXAL Silicon

As mentioned previously, soil silicon can be limited for plant uptake, hence foliar fertilization is an effective method to supply silicon.

 Paddy treated with WUXAL Silicon had thicker stems, more offshoots, and longer roots.

A paddy trial by AgroBridge using WUXAL Silicon showed promising results. Using a dosage of 150mL per hectare on days 40 and 60, silicon-treated paddy plants showed greater stem diameter and rigidity, more robust growth and more extensive root development. This reinforces resistance against pests, lodging and stress. 

Complete nutrient formulation

One of the things which makes WUXAL Silicon stand out is its complete nutrition content for crops. WUXAL Silicon contains various added micronutrients which aid in plant defense and stress tolerance, such as copper, manganese and zinc. They greatly enhance the function of silicon, and also remove the need for separate micronutrient applications. 

Contents of WUXAL Silicon:

WUXAL Additives

Another feature of WUXAL Silicon is its 7 unique additives which are characteristic of all WUXAL products. 

WUXAL additives improve silicon uptake and ensure maximum effectiveness.

Foliar spraying can be labor heavy due to the multiple pesticides and foliar products to apply. These additives make WUXAL products highly compatible, allowing you to mix WUXAL Silicon with registered pesticides and apply them all at once. Furthermore, these additives help the nutrients stay on the leaves longer and spread more evenly on leaf surfaces. Hence, weather issues such as hot or rainy days will not affect absorption. 

While silicon may not be an essential nutrient like nitrogen, its benefits in pest protection, structural support and stress tolerance make it a valuable addition to any fertilizer program.

Interested in trying WUXAL Silicon? Contact your area technical executive here, or WhatsApp us at +6012-5318161 for more information!