What important roles does the element silicon play in plant growth
When growing plants, fertilization is one of the tasks we must do well. Silicon is also an indispensable nutrient element in the growth process of many crops, and it is very important for the growth of many plants. Therefore, when we grow plants, we must pay attention to the application of silicon fertilizer. So what exactly are the effects of the element silicon on plants? Today the editor will give you a brief introduction. Let's take a look below!
1. Enhance plant photosynthesis
The primary effect of the element silicon on plants is that it can strengthen the photosynthetic capacity of plants. It improves the photosynthetic efficiency of plants, thereby increasing the accumulation of nutrients within the plants. If silicon is present in the epidermal cells of plants, it can make the plants more upright. It narrows the angle between the plant leaves and the stems, thereby improving the utilization rate of light. Moreover, for grain crops such as rice, silicon can also improve the glossiness of the leaves. It extends the lifespan of functional leaves by about one week, and can also increase grain weight, which is of great help to their yield.
2. Increase root activity
The effect of the element silicon is actually greatest on grain crops such as rice. In particular, it can increase the activity of the roots of rice plants and promote root respiration and nutrient absorption. The element silicon can increase the number of white roots in rice roots and prevent rice roots, under anaerobic conditions, from producing various harmful substances through reduction, such as hydrogen sulfide, which would seriously affect crop growth. Therefore, the element silicon is of great help to the growth of crops such as rice.
3. Enhance crop lodging resistance
As just mentioned, the element silicon is of great help to the strength of crop stems, so it can effectively reduce crop lodging. This is especially obvious in environments such as strong winds and heavy rain. It can also enhance the disease resistance of crops. For example, in rice it can effectively reduce the incidence of diseases such as rice blast and bacterial leaf blight. It reduces the damage to crops from pests and diseases. If the element silicon is insufficient, the degree of silicification of plant cells is very low, making them extremely vulnerable to invasion by pathogens, and the disease resistance of the plants will decline as a result.
4. Increase crop yield
The element silicon is a very important nutrient element for most cultivated plants, and for crops such as vegetables and cotton, the response is very sensitive. The demand for silicon fertilizer is also relatively large. Applying a reasonable amount of silicon fertilizer can effectively increase crop yield. Especially for gramineous grain crops such as rice, barley and wheat, the yield increase is even more obvious. Therefore, rational application of silicon fertilizer can not only increase crop yield but also enhance crop quality, so everyone must pay close attention to it.
The above is a brief introduction to the effects of the element silicon on plants. That is all for today's introduction. This article is for reference only, and I hope it can be of some help to everyone!