Dr. Daniel Puppe from the WG “Si Biogeochemistry” raised a DFG project on the role of biogenic silicon in agricultural landscapes (BiSiAL, own position for 3 years).
Although the beneficial effects of silicon (Si) for tropical plants, like rice and sugarcane, are known (increased resistance against abiotic and biotic stresses) our knowledge on cropping systems of temperate climatic zones, e.g., for wheat production, is still poor. Recently a Si limitation of crop production due to a long-term “anthropogenic desilication” (Si exports > Si imports) and the related decrease in plant available Si has been postulated. It is the aim of BiSiAL to clarify (i) the effect of farming practice on short- and long-term Si budgets and (ii) the relevance of biogenic Si pools for the Si supply of crops like wheat. For this purpose different soils and plants from ZALF’s long-term field trials and the experimental site CarboZALF-D will be analysed by modern microscopic and spectroscopic methods. Short- and long-term Si budgets will be set up for different soil-plant-systems. The results of the DFG project are supposed to contribute to a fundamental understanding of anthropogenic desilication and further allow recommendations for farming practices in respect to Si.
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Si cycling in arable systems.: Quelle: © Dr. Daniel Puppe.
