Silicon-Insight: Acid Soluble Silicon

Understanding Acid Soluble Silicon

Silicon plays a vital role in plant health by strengthening cell walls, enhancing stress resistance, and promoting robust growth. However, not all silicon within plant tissues is immediately available for physiological processes. Our test focuses on measuring acid soluble silicon, the fraction of silicon that plants can readily utilize.

What is Acid Soluble Silicon?

• Definition: The portion of silicon that dissolves in acid, representing the silicon available for immediate plant uptake and metabolic functions.
• Characteristics:
  • Indicates the actively mobile silicon within the plant.
  • Directly correlates with the plant's ability to utilize silicon for growth and stress response.
• Importance: Provides an accurate assessment of the silicon that contributes to improved plant health and yield in the short term.

Total Silicon vs. Acid Soluble Silicon

While total silicon measures all silicon content in the plant, including both soluble and insoluble forms, acid soluble silicon specifically measures the bioavailable portion. Understanding the difference is crucial:

• Total Silicon:
  • Includes all silicon in the plant tissue.
  • May overestimate the silicon available for immediate use.
  • Measured with a separate test available in our product line.
• Acid Soluble Silicon:
  • Measures the silicon readily available for physiological processes.
  • Offers a more accurate insight into plant health and nutrient status.

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Why Focus on Acid Soluble Silicon?

By concentrating on acid soluble silicon levels, you can:

• Assess Plant Health More Accurately: Understand the actual silicon available for strengthening plant structures and enhancing stress resistance.
• Optimize Fertilizer Use: Tailor your silicon supplementation strategies based on precise, actionable data.
• Improve Crop Yield and Quality: Enhance plant resilience and productivity by ensuring optimal silicon availability.

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Order Your Acid Soluble Silicon Test Kit Today

Take the guesswork out of silicon supplementation. Order the Acid Soluble Silicon Plant Test now to make informed decisions backed by accurate, reliable data. Silicon enhances the growth and yield of all annual and vegetable crops. It also promotes the growth of stronger and thicker stems with shorter internodes. Studies have also

demonstrated Silicon's ability to prevent lodging, promote favorable exposure of leaves to the light, provide resistance to bacterial and fungal diseases and decrease some abiotic stress as temperatures, salinity, heavy metal and aluminum toxicity.

According to research, silicon increase a plant’s resistance to several diseases such as powdery mildew and improves plant resistance to insect pests. Silicon has been found to have a positive effect on the biomass yield under reduced irrigation practices. Plants subjected to drought, when treated with silicon, maintained higher stomatal conductivity, relative water content and water potential. Silicon helps leaves become larger and thicker, thus limiting the loss of water through transpiration thereby reducing water consumption.

Silicon shows greatly influences the development of plant roots, allowing better root performance in dry soils and faster growth.

Silicon fertilizers, like microbiological fertilizers are still not widespread as they are a modern farm technology not many growers are familiar with. Since it’s a natural element, silicon-based fertilizers can be used all types of farmers, whether they practice conventional, sustainable or organic farming. No matter the type of farming system you practice, managing you plants silicon levels can Increase your yield and improve crop productivity with proper silicon testing.

Sample Requirements:

Dried plant tissue samples, > 3g

Fresh plant tissue samples, > 6g

Ship plant tissues in paper bag . Sample will degrade and be unusable if shipped in plastic.

Turnaround Time: 24 - 48 Hours