Excellerator is a specialty micronutrient fertilizer produced by the U.S.-based company Harsco Minerals. It is a granular pelletized product used on golf courses, athletic fields and in the lawn and garden market. Excellerator aides in the correction of plant and soil nutrient imbalances and metal toxicities.[1] It provides high concentrations of plant-available silicon which has been shown in university and field trials to enhance plant resistance to biological and environmental stresses and improve plant nutrient uptake.[2]
| Product type | Specialty micronutrient fertilizer |
|---|---|
| Owner | Harsco Minerals |
| Country | United States |
| Markets | United States |
| Website | http://www.harscominerals.com/products/product-line.aspx?id=1103 |
Production
editExcellerator is a co-product of downstream stainless steel furnace slag that undergoes proprietary aging processes, fine grind pulverizing, and extensive metal separation to remove impurities. Over 99.95% of all metals are removed. Particular attention is paid to the removal of "free lime" (CaO and MgO), which disrupts product stability and consistency of performance. The final product contains both calcium and magnesium silicates in addition to a micronutrient package (see table below).
Micronutrient analysis
edit(Derived from calcium and magnesium silicates, boric acid, zinc sulfate, and copper sulfate)[3]
| Calcium (Ca) | 24.00% |
| Magnesium (Mg) | 6.00% |
| Boron (B) | 0.02% |
| Copper (Cu) | 0.05% |
| Iron (Fe) | 1.80% |
| Manganese (Mn) | 0.50% |
| Molybdenum (Mo) | 0.002% |
| Zinc (Zn) | 0.05% |
Silicon as a beneficial nutrient
editThe amount of total silicon in Excellerator is 39%. Silicon has been shown to improve plant cell wall strength and structural integrity in many turfgrass species.[2] Other benefits of silicon to plants include increased drought and frost resistance, decreased lodging and improved plant response to pests and disease. Silicon has also been shown to improve plant vigor and physiology, resulting in increases to plant root and above ground biomass.[4] For turfgrass, these benefits may result in better turf quality, color, density, and wear tolerance.[5] Silicon has also been shown effective in enhancing the suppression of diseases, such as grey leaf spot, in a number of warm and cool season turfgrass species.[5]
Silicon is a naturally occurring mineral and the second most abundant element in the Earth's crust.[6] In the soil, silicon attaches to soil colloids, helping to reduce compaction and making tied-up nutrients more available. Silicon also allows for a faster, more efficient movement of calcium and magnesium through the soil and readily ties up toxic elements, like aluminium, reducing metal toxicity.[7] In the plant, silicon strengthens cell walls; improving plant strength, health, and productivity.[4] Although not considered an essential element for plant growth and development, silicon is considered a beneficial element in many countries throughout the world[8] due to its many benefits to numerous plant species when under abiotic or biotic stresses.[8] Silicon is currently under consideration by the Association of American Plant Food Control Officials (AAPFCO) for elevation to the status of a "plant beneficial substance."[9][10]
References
edit- ^ Miranda, Stephen R. "Soil pH and the Use of Excellerator". Harsco Minerals. Accessed 24 August 2011.
- ^ a b Datnoff, Lawrence E. (2005-09-14). "Silicon in the Life and Performance of Turfgrass". Applied Turfgrass Science. 2: 1–6. doi:10.1094/ATS-2005-0914-01-RV. Archived from the original on 2011-09-28. Retrieved 2011-08-24.
- ^ "Excellerator Product Label (Chemical Makeup)" (PDF). Harsco Minerals. Retrieved 18 August 2011.
- ^ a b "Silicon nutrition in plants" (PDF). Plant Health Care, Inc.: 1. 2000-12-12. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-04-19. Retrieved 2011-07-01.
- ^ a b Datnoff, Lawrence E. (2005). "Sufficient Silicon? Its role in the life and performance of turfgrass". Superintendent Magazine. Accessed 24 August 2011.
- ^ Garnon, Steve. "It's Elemental - The Element Silicon". Science Education. Jefferson Lab. Retrieved 18 July 2011.
- ^ Cocker, Kay M.; David E. Evans, Martin J. Hodson (Dec 1998). "The amelioration of aluminium toxicity by silicon in higher plants". Physiologia Plantarum. 104 (4): 608–614. doi:10.1034/j.1399-3054.1998.1040413.x.
- ^ a b Feng Ma, Jian; Yamaji, Naoki (12 July 2006). "Silicon uptake and accumulation in higher plants" (PDF). Trends in Plant Science. Abiotic stress series. 11 (8): 392–7. doi:10.1016/j.tplants.2006.06.007. PMID 16839801. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-09-29. Retrieved 1 July 2011.
- ^ "AAPFCO Board of Directors 2006 Mid-Year Meeting". Association of American Plant Food Control Officials. Retrieved 18 July 2011.
- ^ Miranda, Stephen R.; Bruce Barker. "Silicon: Summary of Extraction Methods". Harsco Minerals. August 4, 2009. Retrieved 18 July 2011.
External links
edit- turfandsilicon.com
- www.harscominerals.com Archived 2011-08-24 at the Wayback Machine