Silica, BYDV & Slugs

[Simon C]

You are applying silicon at drilling time? How and in what form are you applying it, if you don't mind me asking? I've yet to get a firm price on any, but I have been lead to believe it is expensive.

Read again the first page exert from my book- "Silicon is the most abundant element on the planet after oxygen. 30% of the earth's crust is silicon, down to 16 km. The availability of this element for plants depends almost directly on the action of acids and enzymes, products mainly generated by the activity of microorganisms and organic matter on rock particles and clay present in the earth."

In other words, just let the biology get on with what it does naturally. If plants are short of any element, they will signal to the mycoorhizae and then the bacteria, go go out and get it. Same applies to any element, of course.

 

[Andy Howard]

Look on eBay under things like multi-mite. It is very cheap when ordered in bulk!

 

[parker]

Look on eBay under things like multi-mite. It is very cheap when ordered in bulk!

what sort of rate do you apply Andy?

 

[Andy Howard]

what sort of rate do you apply Andy?

2kg/ha

 

[Andy Howard]

Read again the first page exert from my book- "Silicon is the most abundant element on the planet after oxygen. 30% of the earth's crust is silicon, down to 16 km. The availability of this element for plants depends almost directly on the action of acids and enzymes, products mainly generated by the activity of microorganisms and organic matter on rock particles and clay present in the earth."

In other words, just let the biology get on with what it does naturally. If plants are short of any element, they will signal to the mycoorhizae and then the bacteria, go go out and get it. Same applies to any element, of course.

Yes, in an ideal world and soil. Unfortunately things we do like adding lots of N fert is antagonistic to silicon uptake. 78% of the atmosphere is Nitrogen but I haven't worked out how to get my wheat to access it all and stop using N fert and maintain a reasonable yield. With the silicon the thing to do is test the leaf to see levels. If they are low then your plant is not accessing enough.

 

[conor t]

Everything you need to know about silica in a book I happen to be reading at the moment. Not very easy to read my photos but get to the end and it tells you how to make your own foliar spray.View attachment 487256 View attachment 487258 View attachment 487260

What's the book called?