The world’s second most abundant element, silicon, when used as a crop bio-stimulant, can increase yield, improve soil health, strengthen plants and improve disease response.

Bio-stimulant specialist, Orion FT, also argued that it was a 'forgotten element' and its use could also help UK farmers reach environmental targets by reducing the use of chemicals and fertilisers.

“Silicon offers countless benefits to crops and soil health. It boosts the genetic potential of plants by strengthening cells, enhancing cuticle thickness, and increasing leaf hair length. These benefits increase a plant’s resilience to factors such as pest or disease penetration, as well as water stress,” explained Orion director, James Kennedy.

“Silicon only becomes available to plants in its monosilisilic form. Our enhanced iNHiB technology makes it available to the crops in this way to help mitigate plant stress,” he added.

Read more: Regenerative agriculture leads to productivity and sustainability at Castleton

Once absorbed, silicon is deposited within and between the cells of the plant and has been shown to increase wheat yields and reduce damage caused by grazing pests, such as cabbage stem flea beetle and slugs.

It can also encourage crops to absorb beneficial elements such as zinc, calcium, and nitrogen. “Silicon can be applied at every crop growth stage and using a variety of application methods, including direct to soil, as a seed treatment, via fertigation, or as a foliar spray,” he said.

An AHBD bio-stimulant review referenced a number of scientific papers recognising the benefits of silicon. “With input prices rising and a reduction in the number of chemicals available for use in the UK, silicon represents a new way to improve plant health and increase crop yields,” he concluded.