Sugar Cane and Rice Response to Silicon

By: J Bernal

Location

Cauca Valley, Magdalena Valley and Atlantic Cost areas of South America

Date

Not specified.

Silicate materials

The material used was a geological source of Magnesium Silicate applied at a rate of between 100 and 300 kg per hectare. The material was “most effective on soils with low pH and high soluble aluminium and iron contents with a corresponding high phosphate fixing capacity”.

Crops

Crops trialled were Rice in the Magdalena Valley and Atlantic Coast areas and sugar cane in the Cauca Valley.

Outcomes

• “Yield of sugar cane increased by 14.6% and sugar production by 20%”
• “Rice production increased between 21 to 33%”

 

 

References

Carrera 57 #14-44, Bogota, Colombia, South America

 “Response of Rice and Sugarcane to Magnesium Silicate in Different Soils of Colombia, South America” – Paper presented by J Bernal at the IV Silicon in Agriculture Conference, Brazil, 2008

 http://www.siliconconference.org.za