However, in our technology it turns in amorphous silica into sodium and potassium salts of monosilicon acids. These connections, as has appeared, play major role in stimulation of development of plants especially such as rice and cotton. This result does not have universal application, and is probably restricted to soils which contain their phosphate associated with sesquioxide films. Silicon and plant growth Crops differ considerably in the amount of silicon they take up, but little systematic work has been done on the normal level of silicon in different plants. Grasses and cereals normally have over I per cent of SiO, in their dry matter, and most dicotyledons under I per cent.
Plant roots take up their silica as silicic acid.
F. Birch, J. agric. P. K. Garberg, E. Afr. With V. M. Drysdale and P. E. Glover, E. Afr. 3 L. H. P. Jones and K. A. Handreck, Pi. Many varieties of rice 2 and barley will also take up more silica than is carried to the roots by mass flow and dicots, which take up much less silica than comes to the roots by this process, may have a concentration of silica in their xylem sap that is appreciably greater than in the soil solution.