MaxSil – a Brisbane based manufacturer has just begun production of a new patented silicon fertiliser, made from recycled glass at its new $4 million, 15,000 tonne capacity Moreton Bay plant.
Extensive trials in a range of cereal and horticulture crops from 2014–22 demonstrated a boost in crop yields of up to 25 per cent and reduced need for NPK fertiliser and pesticides.
The fertiliser also makes plants more resistant to biotic and abiotic stresses and has also been found to improve soils, including carbon sequestration and alleviate a lot of soil conditions such as salinity, says MaxSil managing director David Archer.
“We've had good results with growing on saline land not only in Western Australia but also now in northern NSW in the wheat belt.”
Mr Archer discovered the product through his special cement business in 2011, using processed glass used as an ingredient. After applying some of it on his pot plants he found they “grew like Jack in the beanstalk”.
“As a fertiliser, MaxSil releases high levels of what's called plant-available silicon (PAS) into the soil enabling a plant to selectively pick up the nutrients it needs, and sometimes avoiding what it doesn't want,” Mr Archer said.
“It increases yield, plant growth, produces better, more erect plants, which are less likely to lodge and provides better plant photosynthesis. All known attributes (of plant available silicon) but quite unique to this material.”
Mr Archer said most soils are depleted or deficient in PAS.
“The benchmark for silicon fertilisers is the amount of contained soluble silicon or PAS per weight.
“The MaxSil product contains 10–15 times more than competitor products, making it less than a quarter of the cost due to the much lower application rates needed.”
He said only 100kg a hectare of MaxSil fertiliser is needed for horticulture and tree crops, which is regarded as the standard, unless more is required for improving the soil, combating salinity and aluminium toxicity.
For broadacre farming, application is only required once a year and at rates as low as 5 kg/ha when used as a seed coat.
According to University of Western Australia professor of soil science and plant nutrition Zed Rengel, a large body of pot and field trial work provided proof that MaxSil fertiliser contained PAS levels 13–25 times greater than two diatomite-based silicon products.
As a result it was beneficial to crop growth, yield, and quality, resulting in increased gross margin per hectare over a range of crops grown in a variety of locations in Queensland, Tasmania and NSW.
Professor Rengel said MaxSil also increased crop resistance to pests and diseases, enhancing environmental sustainability of growing food.
MaxSil is currently being distributed nationally by Nutrien and sold through major rural supply outlets.
