The Use of Si-Based Fertilization to Improve Agricultural Performance

Abstract

Silicon (Si) is a “ quasi-essential” element, associated to stresses/limitations alleviation in crops. However, stressful situations are becoming the norm, due to climate change, human exhaustion of natural resources, land degradation and loss of soil biodiversity . In this context, Si becomes a critical element, capacitating crops to grow more and better with less. A total of 467 articles up to 2021 were selected, reporting 501 experiments (lab-oriented and field trials) resulting in 682 cases where different Si-based fertilizers were used to study crops/plants with agronomic value to evaluate its physiological and/or agronomic performance under a specific motivation. Results show that 63% of cases testing Si-fertilization show increase in productivity, while 13% refuted this observation and 24% did not evaluate plant growth. Crop physiological responses was registered in 42% of the cases and only 3% did not report any alteration, although 55% did not evaluate these indicators. Symptom alleviation, in cases where stresses/limitations were studied, was registered in 74% of the cases with a low number of negative outcomes (9%). Field trials where crop yield was measured after application of Si-fertilization show that 69% of different measurements (599) register a yield improvement ≥ 5%, while 18% of the measurements registered between 0 and 5% and only 14% reported yield loss. Si-fertilization is therefore and important factor to improve crop yield and capacitate crops with resilience to endure future limitations. Its inclusion in modern agriculture should be considered in larger scales to adapt crops to the current challenges of sustainable agriculture and food provision.