Laboratory Test Shows that Applying Silicon to Olive Leaves Promotes Their Growth
Published:08 Dec.2023 Source:Phys.org
A DAUCO team has found that silicon is a potential means of promoting plant growth, probably by facilitating the absorption of nutrients such as potassium.
Restrictions on the use of certain agrochemicals like fertilizers and pesticides in agriculture have increased interest in finding alternatives to protect and strengthen crops such as olive groves. In this context, a team from the University of Cordoba’s María de Maetzu Excellence Unit in the Department of Agronomy has verified how silicon, an element naturally present in soil, can be utilized to boost plant growth by facilitating potassium absorption.
The study, published in Scientia Horticulturae, was based on an experiment growing olive plants with and without silicon to analyze the effects of silicon’s presence or absence on development. The tests concluded that lack of silicon did not limit growth but applying it did stimulate growth.