Role of Silicon in Turf grass Fertilization of turf grass with Si has shown positive effects in alleviating abiotic stress (heavy metal  toxicity, drought, frost, salinity) as well as improving plant growth and development (Datnoff, 2005):   • Several cultivars of creeping bent grass and Zoysiagrass had improved turf quality, growth and resistance to traffic and heat stress (Linjuan et al, 1999). • Under severe drought stress, Si fertilized St Augustine grass plants had a better response than those that weren’t fertilized (Trenholm et al, 2004). Leaf firing was greater by 13% and leaf density by 23.5% • Foliar applications of Si gave increased chlorophyll content (Schmidt et al, 1999) • Improvement in the final percent bare ground coverage between 17-24% over the control when using Si (Brecht et al, 2004)  • Sod pieces (mats) treated with Si had a significantly greater increase in newly-generated roots (Datnoff et al, 2005) • Evidence is accumulating that Si plays an important role in turf grass development and its ability to resist diseases (Datnoff, 2005). Research on the use of Si for turf grass is still in its infancy (Datnoff, 2005). As the need for environmentally friendly strategies for the management of plant diseases, insect pests and stresses increase; Si could be well-suited for inclusion in integrated pest management strategies (Datnoff, 2005). • Si also has been effective in suppressing diseases in several warm- and cool-season turf grass species, as summarized in the table below:

Turfgrass	Disease	Pathogen	Effect	Reference(s)
Zoysiagrass	Leaf blight	Rhizoctonia solani	<	(31)
Creeping bentgrass	Root rot	Pythium aphanidermatum	<	(15,28,30,34,37)
Brown patch	Rhizoctonia solani		<
Dollar spot	Sclerotinia homoeocarpa		<
Kentucky bluegrass	Powdery mildew	Sphaerotheca fuliginea	<	(16)
Bermudagrass	Leaf spot	Bipolaris cynodontis	<	(9)
St. Augustinegrass	Gray leaf spot	Magnaporthe grisea	<	(4,7)
Perennial ryegrass	Gray leaf spot	Magnaporthe grisea	<	(27)

 

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