Silicon in plants: crop protection & climate change - Sue Hartley 🐛🍃

[@timhuester7721]

I heard a podcast from Adam Ragusea about silicon, silica and silicone and learned about the effect silicon has on plants. So I went to youtube and found this video to learn more about it. Now I do know more!

[@aquaritinturf3686]

One of our golf course greenkeeper customer stated that our nano-silica based fertilizer is preventing earthworms from coming to the surface and therefore he is seeing 100% reduction in worm castings which is a big problem for golf course managers. Is there a way this can be proved in a lab.

[@GPSEP]

Interesting as worms are crucial decomposers and vital for healthy soil. Their casts are also really high in nutrients & some companies even collec the casts & sell it as eco-fertiliser. However, in terms of managing an unnatural space like a pristine monocultured grass lawn of only one species, the casts can get trodden in damaging the grass while the highly nutritious casts promote the growth of other plants when seeds land on them. It would appear that soils with a high silicon content are harder for worms to pass thus reducing the casts they make it the surface. Check out this video from Charlie Clutterbuck on how decomposers are essential for good plant health: kzbin.info/www/bejne/r6rbq5iYapuGhdk

[@aquaritinturf3686]

@@GPSEP Thank you!

[@aquaritinturf3686]

@@GPSEP Do you have a way of measuring Silica in leaf tissue at your lab

[@GPSEP]

@@aquaritinturf3686 I daresay the Sainsbury Laboratory does have the facility to do this, but it might be worth contacting Sue herself as your first port of call: www.sheffield.ac.uk/biosciences/people/academic-staff/sue-hartley

[@warriorxtman2]

😂❤🎉😅

[@nate6748]

trichomes

[@krishendo9433]

yes