While silicon is not essential to plant growth, it is taken up and used by plants just like other nutrients, and this has many useful benefits, both to the plants themselves and to those growing them!
This biologically active element triggers and supports plants’ natural defence mechanisms. Incorporated into cell walls, silicon helps to reduce excess leaf water loss; maintaining a plants health under drought and heat stress conditions. These strong cells produce sturdy growth, meaning plants given added silicon are more resilient.
Silicon also creates external and internal barriers against fungal diseases and pests, making their attack on the plant more difficult.
Silicon is very abundant in most soils as it is the main component of sand, unfortunately this silicon is not easily available for plant use, and uptake is limited– even in sandy soils. HortiStar is a fertiliser that contains tetra-ethyl ortho-silicate, which provides silicon in a readily plant available form, unlike some other sources.
A series of trials by the University of Hertfordshire showed that use of silicon, in the same formulation as HortiStar, pushes back a powdery mildew fungal epidemic on strawberries by 8-12 days, lowering the need for frequent applications of pesticides. This trial applied silicon via fertigation system, however it can also we applied by foliar spray and in further trials by the same University regular applications of a 0.25% solution gave similarly impressive results. These consistent results have been obtained in rigorous trials over 5 consecutive years.
HortiStar also has a physical control effect on pests such as aphids, thrips, mites and mealy bugs when applied as a foliar spray, as it coats their bodies and stops them from respiring. Clearly, it may also harm bio-control insects, however these can be re-introduced as soon as the spray is dry on the plant.
Because of its purely physical activity, HortiStar is not classed as a PPP/pesticide by the HSE/CRD, so has no harvest interval or other pesticide use restrictions. It can be used alone or with other inputs including fertilisers.
If you would like to know more about how silicon fertilisers can help your crops, please contact us here or speak to your local Sales Manager.
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