2. Plant Tuff Silicon Fertilizer
with Tuff Shield
 What is it?
 Silicon Fertilizer
 Micronutrient
Package
 pH Adjustment
 What is Tuff Shield?
 Role of Silicon in the
Plant

3. What is Plant Tuff Silicon
Fertilizer?
 A patent pending precision-blended product
formulated for easy, low dust, broadcast
applications.
 High quality plant nutrient product that contains Si
(silicon), Ca, Mg, Mn and Fe in plant-available
form.
 An effective pH adjustment agent with a 5:1 Ca to
Mg ratio.
 CCE above 100% and an RNV greater than 68
 Applied between 1000# and 2 T/A

4. What Role Does Silicon Play?
Si is considered a Beneficial Substance
by The Association of American Plant
Food Control Officials (AAPFCO).
A beneficial substance is any compound
other than primary, secondary, and
micronutrients that can be demonstrated
to be beneficial to one or more plant
species.

5. Beneficial Substance
 “Silicon triggered a whole new way to
look at things, as it is technically, not an
essential nutrient, but growth is poor
without it – hence we developed a new
definition, ‘beneficial substance’.”
– Chris Mason, PhD, AAPFCO
Regulatory Update

6. Plant Tuff Silicon Fertilizer
Analysis
Nutrient Percent Lbs/ton
Calcium 23% 460
Magnesium 4% 80
Iron 14% 280
Manganese 1.4% 28
Moisture 5-8%
Bulk Density 110
Beneficial Substance
Silicon (Total Si) 4% 80

7. Soluble Silicon (Si)
WHERE DOES IT COME FROM AND WHY DO
DEFICIENCIES OCCUR?
 While Silicon is abundant in soils, it is usually
insoluble and unavailable to plants. Plant Tuff
Silicon Fertilizer, however, contains a form of
Silicon that is soluble and plant available, and
produces Monosilicic Acid in soil.
 Continuous cropping of soil, weathering, and
naturally occurring deficient soils can be causes of
Si deficiencies.

9. Silicon’s Role in Wheat, Corn, and
Soybean Production
Functions in Plant
 Enhances overall plant mechanical strength and
formation of outer protective layer.
 Promotes a more upright canopy, resulting in
greater photosynthesis.
 Improves resistance to plant lodging due to
greater stalk strength.

10. Silicon’s Role in Wheat, Corn, and
Soybean Production
Functions in Plant
 Increases tolerance to
pathogens.
 Reduces insect activity.
 Improves drought tolerance.
 Results in an overall
improvement in crop quality
and yield.
2012 Field Trials
Corn Rootball Grown in Drought
Conditions
Treated - grown with 2 tons per acre of
Plant Tuff
Untreated - grown with lime application

11. Silicon’s Impact on Plant and
Soil Health
Increased cell wall strength.
Imparts disease tolerance
Decreases insect activity
Improves stalk strength resulting in less lodging
Increases shoot and root density
Reduces plant transpiration.
Improves tolerance to heat stress.
Increases CEC, improving nutrient availability.
Promotes microbial activity.

12. Role of Silicon in Disease
Suppression

13. Silicon’s Impact on Pathogens
Biochemical Resistance
Research suggests silicon triggers the
formation of compounds that are
toxic to fungi
Compounds such as coumaric,
ferulic, salicylic, cinammic or caffeic
acids, chitinase, peroxidase and
phytoalexins

14. Role of Calcium in Plant
Nutrition
 Calcium acts as a regulator of micro-
nutrients.
 Facilitates the plant uptake of iron,
zinc, manganese, and copper
 Calcium in liberal quantities helps to
maintain a healthy balance of nutrients
and non-nutrients within plants.

15. Plant Tuff Silicon Fertilizer and
Manganese
Plant Tuff Silicon Fertilizer contains a
minimum of 1.4% Mn.
A 1 ton application of Plant Tuff
provides at least 28#/A of manganese
Ideal for soil being planted to soybeans
that need Mn to maximize nitrogen
fixation in root nodules

16. Plant Tuff Silicon Fertilizer
Application
Applied through most broadcast spreaders.
Granular formulation is low dust and
spreads uniformly up to 70’
Suggested application rates range from
1000 # - 4 ton/Acre. Rates based on soil test
recommendations.
VRT application should use a base rate of
1000#/A.

17. Plant Tuff Silicon Fertilizer’s
Physical Characteristics
Plant Tuff Silicon Fertilizer resists the
elements.
Spreads in colder temperatures
Sheds rain, sleet, wind and snow
Expanded Application Window.
Stage product in advance
Apply on your schedule, even during winter
months

18. Plant Tuff Silicon Fertilizer
Typical Analysis
Nutrient Percent Guarantee
Zn 0.015
P 0.2
Ca 26.5 >23%
Cu 0.003
Fe 15.6 >14%
Mg 4.8 >4%
Mn 2.3 >1.4%
S 0.2

19. Value of 1 Ton/Acre Plant Tuff
Application
Input Plant Tuff Plant Tuff’s
Added Val
Ca $8.00
Fe 14% $3.00
Mn 1.4% $49.00
Mg 4% $20.00
Si 4% $12.00
Total Value $99.00

20. LSU Trial Work on Plant Tuff
Silicon Fertilizer
Louisiana State University
Effect of Plant Tuff on nutrient use
efficiency
Effect of soil type on Si uptake and
availability
Evaluating reduction in lodging in
wheat and increased yield potential

21. LSU Trial Work on Plant Tuff
Silicon Fertilizer
Benefits of Si on Wheat:
Increases resistance to stress
Decreases lodging
Improves growth parameters
Yield improvement

22. LSU Trial Work on Plant Tuff
Silicon Fertilizer
Type of Soil can affect the adsorption of Si.
Organic soils and clay soils have higher rates of
adsorption of Si.
Maximum quantity adsorption influenced by
soil pH.
Maximum rate of adsorption of Si in high
organic matter soils and high clay soils.

23. LSU Trial Work on Plant Tuff
Silicon Fertilizer
CaSiO3 is effective at increasing available Si in
soil
Responses to Si Fertilization:
Tiller #, panicle weight, grains per spike, and
1,000 grain weight
Silicon is linked to increased availability of
some essential nutrients.

24. LSU Trial Results on Plant Tuff
Silicon Fertilizer
WITH CONTROLS
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
6000
7000
0 lime 0 1 2 4.5 9 0 1 2 4.5 9
controls 101 145
GrainYield,kg/ha1-
Treatments
Grain Yield, Site 1- 2013 St. Joseph
20

26. How Lime Reduces Soil Acidity
 Ca++ and Mg++ from lime replaces two H+ ions on the
cation exchange complex (reserve acidity).
 The H+ ions combine with OH- ions to form water.
 pH increases because the acidity source (H+) has been
reduced.

27. Plant Tuff Lime Analysis
(CCE and RNV)
Specification/Nutrient Percent
CCE 100%
RNV 68
Calcium 23% (460 lb/T)
Magnesium 4% (80 lb/T)

28. Plant Tuff Silicon Fertilizer
Gradation
0.0% 20.0% 40.0% 60.0% 80.0% 100.0% 120.0%
No.4
No.8
No.16
No.30
No. 60
No.100
Gradation
Specification/
Gradation
Typical
Percent
No. 4 100%
No. 8 95.5%
No. 16 83.9%
No. 30 66.8%
No. 60 44.1%
No.100 28.9%

29. Importance of Soil pH
Affects chemical and biological reactions
Availability of essential nutrients
Influences soil chemical reactions and
nutrient forms
Activity of microorganisms
Solubility (toxicity) of non-essential
elements

30. Importance of Soil pH

31. Effects of N Application on
Soil pH
Lb. N/Acre/Year Soil pH
0 6.1
40 6.1
80 6.0
120 6.0
160 5.8
200 5.7

32. Plant Tuff Silicon Fertilizer vs.
Aglime
Benefits Plant Tuff Silicon Fertilizer Aglime
Soil pH Adjustment Fast Response Slow Response
Improved drought, disease
and insect tolerance
Si strengthens cell walls
reducing impact of stress
Not Applicable
Decrease heavy metal
toxicity
pH adjustment and Si
sequestration
pH adjustment
Improve plant productivity
Si increases Ps, chlorophyll,
carbohydrates
Not Applicable
Decreases lodging
Si strengthens cell walls
improving structural
strength of stalks, roots
and leaves
Not Applicable
Improves low CEC soils Ca++ and Si Ca ++ Only

33. Plant Tuff Silicon Fertilizer
Summary
 Contains the beneficial substance, Silicon that helps
plants tolerate abiotic and biotic stresses.
 Provides essential nutrients including Ca, Mg, Mn, and
Fe .
 Patent pending precision-blended product with superior
pH adjustment capabilities.
 Aids in a plant’s ability to tolerate stress from drought
and high temperatures.
 Reduces lodging in grass crops such as wheat and corn.
 Superior handling, spreadability, and versatility.
 It has a CCE greater than 100% and RNV over 68.

34. Quality Control: Consistency is
Everything
Requirements:
Sizing
Chemistry
Nutrients
Raw Materials
Every Delivery
Finished Product
Every 500 tons

35. Metals?
Fertilizers and Other Materials
AAPFCO (American Association of Plant
Food Control Officials)
EPA / USDA Part 503
Dr. Rufus Cheney / Senior Scientist / USDA
Plant Tuff
Regulatory
In-House Guidelines

36. AAPFCO: Heavy Metals Rule
(SUIP#25)
Metals ppm per 1% P2O5
ppm per 1%
Micronutrient3
Arsenic 13 112
Cadmium 10 83
Cobalt 1366 2,2286
Lead 61 463
Mercury 1 6
Molybdenum 42 3004
Nickel 250 1,900
Selenium 26 180
Zinc 420 2,9004

37. EPA / USDA Part 503
* 40 CFR 503.13, USEPA applicable limits
** 327 IAC 6.1-4-9(c) Table 3, Non site-specific or marketing and distribution permit levels

38. Natural Soils
(Midwest)
USEPA Office of Solid
Waste and Emergency
Response, Hazardous
Waste Land Treatment,
SW-874 (April 1983),
Page 273
A & L Laboratories
(Metals
Concentrations in
Natural Soils)

39. Metals Comparison: Soil / Plant
Tuff Regulatory

40. Plant Tuff Inc.’s Chemical
Services
Soil Testing
Mehlich 3
pH
Available Silicon
(Acetic Acid)
Plant Tissue
Nutrient / Metals Up-
Take
Silicon (Total/Soluble)

41. Plant Tuff Inc.’s Chemical
Services
Fertilizer
Available Silicon (Sodium Carbonate /
Ammonium Nitrate by ICP)
Chemistry

42. 2014 Field Trials
(Laboratory Results)
 Improved CEC for soils with initial values below 15
 Improved Silicon Availability
 Increased Manganese Availability
(50%)
 Excellent Neutralization
 Positive Calcium Response

43. Current USDA Research
Stress Induced Si
Accumulation (SISA)
Prediction of Silicic acid
binding to Si transporters
Continue ongoing studies of
improving detection
methods for total plant Si
and bioavailable Si from
Plant Tuff.

44. LSU Research of Plant Tuff
Silicon Fertilizer
 Verified Silicon uptake
 Wheat
 Soy
 Rye Grass
 Rice
 Green House Gas
Reduction in Rice
Production
 Improved Phosphorous and Nitrogen Efficiency

45. LSU Research of Plant Tuff
Silicon Fertilizer
 Antidotal observation of
reduced disease severity
(Soy / mildew)
 Improved Soil Test Method
(Acetic Acid)
 Polymerization of Silicon
for improved availability
 Award Winning Silicon
Research