Understanding Silica: Boosting Strength in Monocots & Dicots скачать в хорошем качестве

Understanding Silica: Boosting Strength in Monocots & Dicots

Check out our Website! https://singularagronomics.com Check out our full product line here! https://singularagronomics.com/products/ Are you interested in any of our line of products, or want to learn more? Follow the link below to find a dealer closest to you! https://singularagronomics.com/contact/ Check out our Quarterly Newsletter: https://singularagronomics.com/newsle... Blog: https://singularagronomics.com/blog/ Want to become a Distributor? Email Us: [email protected] Check us out on Social Media! Instagram:   / singular_agronomics   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?... Understanding Silica in Monocots vs. Dicots Silica’s Role in Strengthening Your Crops If you’re growing corn, wheat, or other grasses, you’re working with monocots. If you’re growing soybeans, potatoes, hemp, or cotton, those are dicots. The difference between the two isn’t just how the plants look—it changes how they absorb and use silica. Why Silica Matters Silica is a key element for plant strength and stress tolerance, even though it’s not considered “essential” by older standards. Back in the 1930s, researchers said a nutrient was essential only if a plant couldn’t complete its life cycle without it. Silica didn’t make the cut. But here’s what they didn’t mention: plants with silica grow stronger, yield more, and handle stress better. So while a plant can survive without it, it won’t thrive. The Genetic Difference Monocots like corn have two important genes: Lsi1 and Lsi2. These help the plant absorb silica through the roots and move it throughout the plant. Dicots like soybeans only have Lsi1, which means they can absorb silica into their roots but can’t move it into the rest of the plant. So how do you apply silica the right way? Monocots (Corn, Wheat, etc.): Use root-applied silica like Pixie Dust or Pixie Dust 2x2. These get the silica into the plant early through the roots, strengthening stalks and reducing lodging. Dicots (Soybeans, Potatoes, Cotton, etc.): Use foliar sprays like Pixie Dust Plus. Since they can’t move silica from root to shoot, you need to apply it directly to the leaves early in the season. Timing is Everything For both monocots and dicots, you want to get silica into the plant early—ideally before it starts putting on major growth. In corn, silica taken up through the roots stays in the lower part of the plant, building stronger stalks. In soybeans, a foliar spray strengthens branches before pod weight increases, helping prevent them from breaking off later. Why It Works Silica hardens cell walls—think of it like adding rebar to concrete. It’s not just for standability either. Silica helps plants close their stomata (leaf pores) during dry spells, conserving moisture and reducing stress. Why Silica Isn’t Talked About More Even though silica is the second most abundant element in the Earth’s crust, it’s not in a form that plants can use. The plant-usable form is called monosilicic or orthosilicic acid, and most soils don’t release enough of it fast enough. It’s also easy to lose—just like nitrate, it flushes out with water. The reason it hasn’t caught on in the Midwest? Honestly, probably because no one made money promoting it. But in crops like rice and sugarcane down South, where silica is critical, it’s already being applied regularly. The Bottom Line If you’re not using silica, you could be missing out on yield and plant health. Match your application method to your crop type: Root-based for monocots. Foliar sprays for dicots. Apply early. Strengthen your crops. And give them one more tool to handle the tough parts of the season.