Effect of silicon fertilizers on silicon accumulation in wheat

The effect of fertilization with silicon (Si) compounds on accumulation of Si in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) has been studied. Wheat plants were grown under identical growing conditions, but subjected to fertilization with various Si compounds (pyrolitic fine silica particles [aerosil®], sodium silicate, silica gel), and the Si content of the above ground plants was analyzed via X-ray microanalysis (EDX) and atomic-absorption spectroscopy (AAS). Silicon was predominantly deposited in the epidermis cells of the leaves and their cell walls. The efficiency of the Si compounds used as fertilizers to augment the Si content of the plants increased in the order sodium silicate > silica gel > aerosil® and thus seemed to correlate with the ease of formation of orthosilicic acid from these compounds.