Currently, agriculture has farmers searching to create stronger (more resilient) crops that will produce greater yields (more total crop production), while also reducing their (farmer) risk of crop loss due to environmental stressors (dirt, water, wind).

Farmers have consistently used traditional macro-nutrients, such as NPK (to form a complete plant food), to achieve their farming goals. Recently, there has been an increased focus on another relatively inexpensive nutrient found at much lower levels than the macro-nutrients above, but that is equally as important for the success of the farmer's harvest, with the introduction of silicon nutrition.

Silicon is not classified as a primary or secondary nutrient (using universal nomenclature for plant nutrients), but it is playing an increasingly larger role for many of today's farmers who have chosen to work with silicate materials. Farmers who are currently using silicate materials are observing much stronger and healthier crops, with better resistance and yield than their competitors still working only with traditional fertilizers.
 

Understanding the Role of Silicon in Crops:

Silicon works at a structural level within the plant(s). When silicon is absorbed, it becomes deposited into the plant tissue(s), thereby making the cell wall much stronger. Therefore, this simple absorption/deposition process results in multiple visible benefits in the field.

The following are typical characteristics of crops with adequate amounts of silicon:

• Have stronger stems and better standability.
• Higher resistance to insects & diseases.
• Greater tolerance to environmental stress (drought, heat, etc.).
• Better uptake of nutrients.

Lodging reduction (therefore affecting yield) for certain crops such as rice, wheat & maize due to adequate silicon.

The Shift Towards Advanced Silicon Fertilizers:

Silicon nutrients  t hat rely on silicon sources which were previously difficult for plants to absorb had poor efficiency levels in the past. Modern advances have changed the game significantly.

Silicon nutrients that are provided from a highly stable source known as Ortho Silicic Acid (OSA) are readily available or quickly accessible forms of silicon supplied to plants via conventional means. The provision of silicon nutrients in this manner allows for quicker and better absorption of the nutrients than through conventional inputs.

Kay Bee Bio-Organics Private Limited believes in the combination of traditional scientific formulations with modern day field results based on practical applications. An example of this is their new generation of silicon fertilisers called SILIXIL.

Introducing SILIXIL: A New-Generation Silicon Solution

The formula for this new liquid silicon fertiliser has been created using advanced techniques and technologies to produce a highly consistent nutrient source that can be readily used by plants.

The unique formulation of  SILIXIL  is based on Stabilized OSA technology; this allows for consistent and reliable results when used on different crops and under various growing conditions.

Farmers that have used SILIXIL have not only received large amounts of improvement in their crop strength but also dramatic increases within a very short time frame since the application of SILIXIL.

Key Benefits Observed in the Field:

Silicon has an immediate effect on a grower's production from the time of application:

1. Improved Plant Structure - Due in part to thicker stems and increased stiffness, there is less risk of bending or lodging in a crop.
2. Better Stress Tolerance - Crops treated with silicon are able to better tolerate high temperatures, drought conditions, and severe weather events.
3. Exceptional Crop Quality - The size, gloss, and uniformity of fruits/grains are enhanced when silicon is applied; this improves their selling price.
4. Reduced Pest/Disease Pressure - Stronger plant structure enables crops to better withstand external threats.
5. Better Nutrient Utilization - Crops treated with silicon have an increased ability to use nutrients efficiently; this ultimately leads to increased crop yields.

Where Can It Be Used?

SILIXIL is a silicon-based input and one of its greatest assets is that it can be used for many types of agriculture. Below are examples of what this input can be used on.

• Fruits: Grapes, Bananas, Mangoes, Pomegranates.
• Vegetables: Tomatoes, Chili Peppers, Capsicum.
• Field Crops: Rice, Wheat, Cotton.

Therefore, it is a viable agricultural solution to utilize on both small leafy vegetables and large field crops.

Silicon-based inputs enhance existing agricultural practices as a viable method for new farmers. Today, with the increase in input prices and unpredictable weather, producers are looking for alternatives that increase possible yields and at the same time protect their crops from possible losses. Silicon solutions provide great value by working with existing fertilizers to improve crop yield and quality without replacing them.

More and more, products such as SILIXIL are being utilized as a component of integrated pest management (IPM) in order to provide farmers with increased production and better quality produce.

Conclusion:

Agriculture is changing and the inputs that support agriculture are also changing. Silicon is no longer considered a minor input, but it has become a major value-added input for modern agriculture.

For farmers that wish to develop stronger crops, increase their ability to withstand stresses and get a higher return on their investment, utilizing advanced silicon products can be a sound decision for the future of agriculture.