Only Aquaritin Foliar Spray delivers bioavailable silicon in a micronized spray.
Silicon triggers a faster and more extensive deployment of a plant’s natural defenses and can lower pesticide and fungicide use by 20% to 50%.
Each year plant diseases cost the global economy over $220 billion, and invasive insects at least $70 billion. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) estimates that up to 40 percent of global crop production annually is lost to pests.
Due to the impact of climate change, plant pests that ravage economically important crops are becoming more destructive and posing an increasing threat to food security and the environment. Warming temperatures increase the risk of pests spreading in agricultural and forestry ecosystems, especially in cooler Arctic, boreal, temperate and subtropical regions. A single, unusually warm winter may be enough to assist the establishment of invasive pests. Some pests, like fall armyworm (which feeds on a growing number of crops, including maize, sorghum and millet) and Tephritid fruit flies (which damage fruit and other crops), have already expanded their geographical reach due to the warmer global climate. Others, such as the desert locust (the world’s most destructive migratory pest), are expected to change their migratory routes and geographical distribution because of climate change.
Only Aquaritin Foliar Spray delivers bioavailable silicon in a micronized spray.
Over the course of time, many pesticides have gradually lost their effectiveness because pests have developed resistance to them. The future of agriculture may depend on exploiting plant resistance which represents an economically and ecologically efficient approach to integrated pest management.
One way to improve effective resistance is to supplement with silicon (Si). Si is an important element in plant nutrition and is the most common element, after oxygen, on Earth.
It is now well established that silicon enhances plant resistance and reduces plant damage caused by insect pests and non-insect pests through the mediation and upregulation of both resistance mechanisms that are constitutive (i.e., irrespective of insect presence) and induced (i.e., in response to insect attack).
A large body of research on pest resistance offered by silicon suggests that deposition of amorphous silica in the leaf apoplast impedes penetration by pests and fungus. In addition to the prophylactic effects of silicon, it is also considered to be biologically active and can trigger a faster and more extensive deployment of plant natural defenses.
When available, silicon is absorbed into the plant tissue and deposited into the epidermis layer of each cell. This layer acts like the “mortar” in a brick or stone wall, holding the shape and structure of the cells, leading to plants that are stronger and more resistant to disease and stress.
Tea Plantation Trials in Assam, India
A 45-day trial of Aquaritin Agri was carried out on 5 tea estates in 2020-2021. The trial involved treatment at the dose of 340 ml per hectare in a dilution of 1:1200. For the first and second rounds, application was spread out in 15 days intervals and for the third round this was extended to 1 month. The measurement points included change in angle of attack, change in Brix levels, number of shoots and pest & disease presence.
Leaves that are normal to the sun (90°) absorb less units of light compared to leaves that are at 45°. Generally the energy captured may differ by as much as +25% at a 45° angle. Lower angle of attack also optimises leaf temperature and conserves water during dry periods.
There was a decrease in the angle of attack after the treatment with Aquaritin Agri Solutions Foliar Spray.
After the trial period, Aquaritin Agri Solutions Foliar Spray increased leaf thickness from a range of 0.2-0.3 mm to 0.4-0.5mm, an increase of 80%. In addition, there was an increase in Brix levels and number of shoots and a decrease or elimination at all 5 estates of infestations of Helopeltis, Red Spider and Looper that existed before treatment.
