Silicon in the Life and Performance of Turfgrass

Over the past few years there has been a growing interest in the element silicon and its effects on the life and performance of plants. Many turfgrass managers want more information regarding its role in plant function. This article attempts to address that issue by first presenting general information about silicon in soil, silicon in plants, and silicon effects on abiotic (i.e., heat stress, drought stress, mineral toxicities, and wear tolerance) and biotic (plant diseases and insects) stress. Then, the currently‐known role of silicon in turfgrass is explained along with mechanism(s) of silicon‐mediated resistance to plant diseases. Finally, an outlook section on the future for silicon in turfgrass performance is presented.