Silicon!
© a.k.a. MBR
Certain plant species such as rice also require silicon for proper growth, maturation, and reproduction.
There has been recent speculation and apparent experimental justification resulting in some "authorities" concluding that silicon is also a beneficial and in many cases essential element for optimal crop, ornamental and other plants' physiological metabolistic cycles.
In the natural environment Silicon is present abundantly in many classifications of soils such as Silicate minerals including the tetrahedral ionic crystalline sheets of clays including Vermiculite, Kaolonite, Talc, etc.. The Silicon stored in these substances is released upon weatherisation or break-down of the compounds and made available for plants in the vicinity.
Organisms classified as "Diatoms" which are microscopic life-forms also accumulate Silicon in their cellular wall structures. These beasts manifest their existence in many aquatic environments around the world causing the accumulation of Silicon in large quantities when they die and build up on the water bodies' floors. "Diatomacious Earth" is sold in many regions and consists of the mined lifeless skeletons of these diatoms which serves to act as an insecticide because of the penetrating nature of the miniscule particles which can block insects' air passages, resulting in death.
In Hydroponic cultures, Silicon may be depleted when not supplied by external means and certain scientists have performed experiments which show that certain plants grow more vigorously when Silicon is supplied in supplemental form such as Potassium Silicate. Diatomaceous Earth and Vermiculite may also be used as organic natural sources of the mineral.
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