Silica for Plants: A Forgotten Nutrient for Plant Health

July 23, 2024

Silica, which is made up of oxygen and silicon (SiO2) is a very interesting nutrient that has been, and still is, underappreciated in the agriculture world. It has been slowly gaining some appreciation, and for good reason, as we will explore how you can use silica to benefit your crops.  

Benefits of Silica on Plants

There are so many beneficial impacts that silica has on plants, that you could almost wonder if silica is the magic mineral. It isn’t, of course. But it does have some very beneficial roles in healthy plants. 

• Silica improves resistance to pests
• Reduces susceptibility to bacterial and fungal pathogens
• Improves brix
• Improves nutrient uptake
• Prevents lodging
• Alleviates stress and toxicities

Silica also adds strength to cell walls in stems, leaves, and fruit. This promotes plants that are stronger and more resistant to diseases and insects because they cannot get access to the inside of the plants. It also means that the plants are not as susceptible to lodging, or falling over.

Silica adds energy to plants. In the absence of silica, the incorporation of phosphate into ATP and ADP is reduced and plants no longer have adequate reserves of energy. ATP equals energy!

Silica alleviates abiotic stress, including physical stress such as drought, radiation, high and low temperatures, freezing, and also including chemistry stress such as salt, heavy metals, or nutrient imbalances.

Silica for Plants’ Vascular Health

First and foremost, silica is critical for a healthy vascular system. When a plant has enough silica during its early vegetative stage, large amounts of silica are deposited into the cell walls of the xylem tissues, which is where water and nutrients are transported through on their way from the soil up into the plant.

In other words, silica creates a more robust vascular system that can now allow uptake of more water and nutrients faster. This is critical at all times, but becomes increasingly so during periods of stress or hot weather, during which times the xylem, or vascular system, will start closing. Research is quite clear that silica may prevent compression of the xylem during heat, which is critical because plants need lots of water and nutrients during this time. Many plants are at peak fruit load during this time. Hugh Lovel, scientist, farmer, consultant, and most importantly, a farmer, has added that adequate amounts of sulfur and boron are critical for the silica to properly do its work.

We have seen silica especially helpful for downy and powdery mildew on cucurbits.

How to Apply Silica to Your Crops

While healthy soil biology can naturally provide adequate silica levels, supplementing with silica can accelerate your journey towards pest and disease-resistant crops.

Here are some tips for applying silica to your plants:

1. Start early: Incorporate silica into your fertilization program from the seedling stage.
2. Balanced nutrition: Ensure adequate levels of sulfur and boron to support silica’s functions.
3. Regular application: Maintain consistent silica levels throughout the growing season.
4. Foliar sprays: Consider foliar applications for quick absorption during critical growth stages.
5. Soil health: Work on improving overall soil health to enhance natural silica availability.

Buy Silica for Your Plants from Keystone Bio-Ag

The bottom line is that it is hard to go wrong using silica. And there are so many benefits. Why not start using silica in your crop production? Check out our silica supplements online or contact one of our regenerative agriculture consultants today to learn how to get the most yield from your crops.