Evidence Hub – Diatomite in Modern Agriculture

Trial snapshot

• Location: Konaklı district, Niğde (Türkiye).
• Crop: Potatoes, commercial field.
• Design: Side-by-side plots; same fertiliser and crop care in both plots.
• Treatment: +25 kg/da Almina granules applied to the soil in the trial plot.

What was measured

• Total yield per decare.
• Share of marketable tubers vs small or seed-size tubers.

Key observations

• Total yield increased from 5,440 kg/da (control) to 5,960 kg/da (Almina) – about +10%.
• The proportion of small or seed-grade tubers dropped from roughly 15–20% to 8–10% in the Almina plot.
• When only marketable, sack-ready potatoes are counted, the Almina parcel delivered 5,300 kg/da vs 4,500 kg/da in the control – about +17% net increase in saleable yield.

How to read this

In this season and field, adding Almina on top of the standard fertiliser programme improved both total yield and grading, shifting more of the crop into commercial calibres. The grower also reported darker foliage and stronger root systems in the treated strip.

Trial snapshot

• Location: Geothermal greenhouse, Afyonkarahisar (Türkiye).
• System: Modern soilless greenhouse, 25 da, around 84,000 tomato plants under geothermal heating.
• Application: Foliar Almina sprays at 1.5 kg/100 L water for the first two sprays, then 1 kg/100 L weekly thereafter.

Observed plant responses

• Darker leaf colour, thicker leaf blades and visibly stronger canopy structure, linked to silicon and alginic acid content.
• Improved resistance to stem bending and breakage at cluster junctions; stems appeared mechanically stronger under crop load.

How to read this

The greenhouse integrated Almina into an existing spray programme and reported stronger plant architecture and a darker, more active canopy, which can support fruit load and photosynthesis. Quantitative yield data were not recorded in this booklet, so this is best viewed as physiological and structural evidence, not a formal yield claim.

Trial snapshot

• Location: Aksu Boztepe village, Antalya (Türkiye).
• Crop: Wheat, variety "Koç 2015" (BATEM).
• Design: Side-by-side plots monitored by the West Mediterranean Agricultural Research Institute.
• Treatment: Standard fertiliser in both plots; +15 kg/da Almina granules in the treated plot.

Key outcomes

• Grain yield increased from 605 kg/da (control) to 782 kg/da (Almina), about +29%.
• Grain nitrogen rose from 1.74% → 1.97% and protein from 10.12% → 11.46%, both around +13%.
• Observations noted stronger rooting, thicker stems, better tillering and darker leaves in the Almina strip.

How to read this

Here, Almina applied with fertiliser supported both yield and grain protein, consistent with improved root-zone conditions and nutrient capture, especially where some nutrients are bound in the soil.

Trial snapshot

• Location: Akkaş village, Eskil district, Aksaray (Türkiye).
• Crop: Sugar beet.
• Design: 6-decare application and control plots, otherwise managed identically.
• Treatment: +15 kg/da Almina granules in the treated area.

Measured results

• Root yield increased from ≈4,084 kg/da to ≈5,004 kg/da – about +23%.
• Polar sugar rose from 15.61% (below standard) to 16.22% (above standard commercial threshold).

How to read this

In this trial, Almina coincided with both higher beet tonnage and a shift into commercially acceptable polar sugar levels. For beet contracts, this combination is often more important than yield alone.

Trial snapshot

• Location: Field on the Konya–Aksaray road, Türkiye.
• Crop: Sunflower (Pioneer hybrid).
• Treatment: Standard fertiliser in both plots; +15 kg/da Almina granules in the treated plot.

Key outcomes

• Yield increased from 330 kg/da to 414 kg/da, around +25%.
• Agronomists recorded improved plant height, leaf colour, head diameter and head fill, alongside stronger root development.

How to read this

Sunflower is sensitive to soil water and nutrient availability. In this context, diatomite-based soil improvement was associated with better head structure and a meaningful yield uplift, pointing to improved root-zone conditions.

Grapes (Sultaniye, Manisa)

• Drip-applied Almina (total 16 kg/da over the season) plus foliar sprays on top of standard fertilisers.
• Outcomes: more homogeneous clusters, stronger shoots and improved canopy development.
• Saleable yield increased from 3,260 kg/da to 3,830 kg/da (+17.5%).

Apples (Granny Smith, Kayseri)

• Combination of drip and foliar Almina on a high-density orchard.
• Observed: cooler fruit surface temperatures by 7–8°C at critical times, improved colour and size under heat stress.

Olives (Aydın region – qualitative study)

• Observations included improved oil quality indicators (higher polyphenols, lower free fatty acids) and better tolerance to sunburn, along with general tree vigour.

How to read this

Perennial crops often value quality and stress management as much as raw yield. Across grape, apple and olive trials, Almina was associated with more resilient canopies, better fruit uniformity and, in grapes, a documented uplift in saleable yield. These results remain farm- and season-specific.

A study on coarse-textured soils tested diatomite as part of different amendment blends for improving physical properties.

Headline findings

• Treatments containing diatomite, especially when combined with bentonite or biochar, shifted water-retention curves into the plant-available range and increased water held at field capacity.
• Biochar + diatomite blends showed lower bulk density and penetration resistance than the untreated control, while pure diatomite treatments mainly affected pore size distribution and water retention.
• No problematic water repellency was reported at the application rates tested.

Why it matters

These results support the view that diatomite-based amendments can act as a physical soil improver in lighter soils, particularly when used in combination with other conditioners, where low water-holding capacity and compaction are limiting factors.

A review paper on silicon in crop plants brought together trials in cereals, vegetables and fruit crops.

Key messages from the review

• Silicon applications from various sources often improved performance under drought, salinity and heat stress, even when yield differences in easy seasons were modest.
• Reported benefits included stronger cell walls, better stomatal regulation, improved root growth and more efficient water use.
• Silicon frequently interacted positively with N, P and K nutrition, supporting balanced uptake.

Why it matters

Almina is rich in amorphous silica and contributes plant-available silicon to the soil solution over time. The review provides the mechanistic background for the stress-tolerance and tissue-strength effects seen in the Turkish wheat, potato, grape and apple trials.

A recent study in hazelnut orchards evaluated diatomaceous earth (DE) as a silicon source under greenhouse and field conditions.

What they found

• DE increased leaf silicon concentration and improved tree growth parameters.
• Antioxidant activity increased, while markers of oxidative stress decreased in roots, leaves and nuts.
• Nut and kernel quality traits improved (size, fewer defects), confirming DE as a promising nutritional tool for fruit crops.

Why it matters

This is one of the first modern studies using DE in perennial fruit crops under both controlled and field conditions. Its findings align with the quality-oriented responses seen in grapes, apples and olives in Türkiye, especially around stress physiology and tissue quality.

A greenhouse study on cucumber used diatomaceous earth as part of an integrated programme and monitored growth, yield and physiological responses.

Relevant highlights

• Cucumber plants receiving DE showed higher fresh and dry biomass and improved vegetative growth.
• Yield components (fruit number and weight) increased compared with untreated controls.

Why it matters

This work strengthens the case that diatomite-based materials can support greenhouse vegetable performance, mirroring the structural improvements reported in the Afyon tomato greenhouse.

Several studies on alginate hydrogels in coarse-textured soils have demonstrated:

• Improved water-holding capacity and slower drying rates.
• Better aggregate stability and reduced erosion risk.
• Enhanced early root development when hydrogels are placed in the seed or root zone.

While these hydrogels are processed materials, not geothermal biominerals, they help explain how alginic acid-rich matrices can create micro-reservoirs of water in the soil. Almina's natural alginic acid content and porous structure are likely to contribute to similar pore-scale effects.

1. Context matters

All field results in this Evidence Hub are location-, season- and management-specific. Soil type, baseline fertility, irrigation, climate and variety all influence the degree of response.

2. Look for patterns, not single numbers

Across multiple crops and geographies, recurring themes include:

• Stronger root and canopy development.
• Improved performance under water and heat stress.
• Better use of applied fertilisers and, in several cases, higher quality metrics (protein, polar sugar, fruit uniformity).

3. Soil improver, not a silver bullet

Almina is designed to sit alongside good agronomy – sound rotation, balanced nutrition, irrigation and IPM – rather than replace them. Its role is to improve the physical and chemical environment in the root zone, especially in lighter or stressed soils.

4. Trials and local data

We encourage small-area trials with local agronomists so growers can see how geothermal diatomite behaves in their own soils and systems. Over time, this Evidence Hub can be updated as more independent data become available.