Silicon benefits highlighted at Tokyo turfgrass conference

The 15th ITRC was held in Karuizawa-gun Nagano in July and it is the second time the conference has been held in Japan.

“Dr. Hideaki Tonogi, President of the ITRC and professor at Chiba University, reinforced how strongly Japan is contributing to the use of silicon in turf grass and the benefits it has brought to the resilience to wear, drought and temperature stresses,” says Kate.

Although Japan’s climate can be different to the norm in the UK, the recent high temperatures and drought conditions have demonstrated that every climate can learn from others to better prepare grass for climate extremes.

“Silicon improves stolon density, shoot biomass, and overall turf coverage. Silicon accumulated in shoots and stolons is especially useful for surface wear resistance. However, silicon is also important to root health and length, and trials led by Takayasu Inoue showed the benefits of silicate fertiliser on Zoysia matrella ‘Wakaba’ and creeping bentgrass,” she says. 

Whilst silicon is the second most abundant element, it needs to be made plant available to benefit turf growers. 

“Silicate products and biostimulants, like Orion’s Sirius, make silicon plant available as bioactive monosilicic acid. Plants that have silicon applied have shown longer root structures, thicker cell walls and greater leaf hair strength which all help the plant to manage pest, disease and climate stresses,” she says. 

Microscopy studies from Masakazu Ushilo and team (ITSRJ, 2017) confirmed the presence of silica structures in leaf epidermal cells of Zoysiagrass, which contribute to the species’ resilience to wear, drought, and temperature stress. This is particularly important for stadiums and racetracks.

“Much of this work builds on foundational research by Dr. Jian Feng Ma and Dr. Eiichi Takahashi, who first proved how silicon fortifies plant cell walls and improves water retention. Principles now widely applied in turf management strategies across Asia and beyond,” says Kate.

Further to the trial work shared at the ITRC was international research that demonstrated the benefits of silicon to common cool-season grasses. 

“Recent trials have shown that even traditional UK turf species; perennial ryegrass, Kentucky bluegrass, tall fescue, and creeping bentgrass benefit from silicon supplementation, especially under stress conditions,” says Kate. 

Trial data from Beijing and Rutgers University used Kentucky Bluegrass (Poa pratensis) to demonstrate how the application of 400mg/l of silicate increased photosynthesis by 44 percent and led to greater leaf water retention and better root to shoot ratios. 

“This was especially effective under drought and low-irrigation conditions, suggesting that silicon could be an important tool to improve turf resilience in the increasingly dry conditions experienced in the UK,” she adds. 

Further trials in the USA have shown that, under reduced irrigation, turf grass that is supplemented with silicon showed improved turf quality in the heat. It also demonstrated that the turf recovery improved after mechanical wear. 

“In this trial, the turf grass also improved the leaf silicon content by over 30 percent, which makes the grass more resilient and harder wearing and is the perfect combination for sports pitches and golf courses,” says Kate.

With climate extremes becoming more common in the UK, conditions can be similar to other countries including Japan and parts of the US.

“We can learn so much from the work that has been carried out in countries like Japan. Whilst our climates are intrinsically different, there are areas and periods in the year where there are parities in conditions,” she says. 

Kate suggests that warm season grasses like Zoysia may become more viable for southern UK sites and that Japanese research offers a head start on optimising nutrition.

“For cool-season species, especially in high-wear venues, soil or foliar-applied silicon can improve stress tolerance and recovery without major changes to a fertility programme,” she adds. 

The message, however, is not one of cure, but of prevention. Silicon products are not plant protection products (PPPs) and are better applied before plant stress occurs.

“Using trial plots to compare root development, wear and tolerance, is a good way to start. Integrating silicon into an existing mix that may include wettings agents, potassium or PGRs can bring compound benefits to turf health,” she says. 

There are a variety of silicon products available in the UK. However, Kate suggests turf managers should be careful to invest in products that make silicon more readily available.

“Fossil is a good example of a liquid silicon product that makes silicon more readily available to turf than less soluble, high pH slag-based products,” she says. 

The ITRC has yet again demonstrated advances in agronomic technology that can bring new tools to the turf grower that are essential to overcoming difficult conditions brought on by climate extremes.

“We never stop learning and, in the case of silicon, it is clear that there is new evidence and new understanding for its value in the turf industry,” concludes Kate. 

We have developed novel product formulations that stimulate natural plant defence mechanisms, with application across all sectors including agriculture, horticulture, ornamentals, amenity and forestry.

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