What does the Research say about Silicon Dioxide?

Silicon Dioxide In Sugarcane Production:

Silicon Dioxide – “Agriculture activity tends to remove large quantities of silicon from soil. Sugarcane is known to absorb more Si than any other mineral nutrients, accumulating approximately 380 kg ha ^-1 of Si in a 12-month-old crop. Some studies indicate that Sugarcane yield responses to Silicon may be associated with induced resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses such as diseases and pest resistance, AL, Mn, Fe, toxicity alleviation, increased P availability, reduced lodging, improved leaf and stalk erectness, freeze resistance and improvement in plant water economy.” [1]

Silicon Dioxide In Rice Production:

“When Silicon dioxide was removed during the reproductive stage the dry weights of straw (stem + leaf blade) and grain decreased by 20 and 50% respectively, compared with those of the plants cultured in the solution with Si throughout the growth period. Conversely, when Si was added during the reproductive stage, the dry weights of straw and grain increased by 24  and 30% respectively, over those of the plants cultured in a solution devoid of Si throughout the growth period. The effect of Si on the dry weights of straw and grain was small when Si was either added or removed during the vegetative and ripening stages. The percentage of filled spikelets remarkably increased or decreased when Si was added or removed during the reproductive stage.” [2]

Effect of Silicon Dioxide Fertilization on Growth, Yield, and Nutrient Uptake of Rice:

“A field experiment was conducted to study the effect of silicon (diatomaceous earth, DE) fertilization on growth, yield, and nutrient uptake of rice during the kharif season of 2012 and 2013 in the new alluvial zone of West Bengal, India. Results showed that application of silicon significantly increased grain and straw yield as well as yield-attributing parameters such as plant height (cm), number of tillers m⁻², number of panicles m⁻², and 1000-grain weight (g) of rice. The greatest grain and straw yields were observed in the treatment T₆ (DE at 600 kg ha⁻¹ in combination with standard fertilizer practice (SFP). The concentration and uptake of silicon, nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) in grain and straw were also greater under this treatment compared to others. It was concluded that application of DE at 600 kg ha⁻¹ along with SFP resulted in increased grain, straw, and uptake of NPK.” [3]

Silicon Improves Water Use Efficiency in Maize Plants

“The influence of silicon (Si) on water use efficiency (WUE) in maize plants (Zea mays L. cv. Nongda108) was investigated and the results showed that plants treated with 2 mmol L⁻¹ silicic acid (Si) had 20% higher WUE than that of plants without Si application. The WUE was increased up to 35% when the plants were exposed to water stress and this was accounted for by reductions in leaf transpiration and water flow rate in xylem vessels. To examine the effect of silicon on transpiration, changes in stomata opening were compared between Si-treated and nontreated leaves by measuring transpiration rate and leaf resistance. The results showed that the reduction in transpiration following the application of silicon was largely due to a reduction in transpiration rate through stomata, indicating that silicon influences stomata movement.  Furthermore, the water flow rate in xylem vessels of plants with and without Si was compared. The flow rate in plants with 2 mmol L⁻¹ Si was 20% lower than that without Si, which was accounted for by the increased affinity for water in xylem vessels induced by silica deposits. These results demonstrated the role of Si in improving WUE in maize plants.” [4]

Effects of silicon dioxide application on drought resistance of cucumber plants

“A study on the effects of silicon supply on the resistance to drought in cucumber plants was conducted in pot experiments. The results suggested that in the absence of stress, silicon slightly enhanced the net photosynthetic rate, but significantly decreased the transpiration rate and stomatal conductance in cucumber plants. Silicon enhanced the net photosynthetic rate of cucumber plants under drought stress. Since silicon decreased the stomatal conductance, enhanced the capacity of holding water, and kept the transpiration rate at a relatively steady rate during drought stress, the photosynthesis of the cucumber plants was sustained. Under drought stress, silicon increases the biomass and water content of leaves in cucumber plants. Silicon Dioxide decreased the decomposition of chlorophyll in cucumber plants under drought stress, limited the increase of the plasma membrane permeability and malondialdehyde (MDA) content in leaves, alleviated the physiological response of peroxidase (POD) to drought stress, maintained the superoxide dismutase (SOD) normal adaptation, and increased the activity of catalase (CAT). Under severe stress, these physiological biochemical reactions showed positive correlations with the amount of silicon supply. These findings demonstrated that silicon enhanced the resistance of the cucumber plants to drought.” [5]

1. Silicon Nutrion and Sugarcane Production: A Review by N.K. Savant, G.H. Korndorfer, L.E Datnoff and G.H. Snyder
2. Effect of Silicon Dioxide on the Growth of rice Plants at different stages of Growth by Jianfeng Ma, Kazuo Nishimura, and Elichi Takahashi
3. Effect of Silicon Dioxide Fertilization on Growth, Yield, and Nutrient Uptake of Rice by Sajal Pati, Biplab Pal, Shrikant Badole, Gora Chand Hazra, and Biswapati Mandal
4. Silicon Improves Water Use Efficiency in Maize Plants by Xiaopeng Gao, Chunqin Zou. Lijun Wang and Fusuo Zhang
5. Effects of Silicon Dioxide application on drought resistance of Cucumber Plants by Cheng Cang Ma, Qing Fang Li, Yu Bao Gao, and Tian Rong Xin