Dr. Lawrence E. Datnoff is Professor of Plant Pathology, University of Florida, Everglades Research and Education Center. Since 1988, he has been studying the role of silicon for plant disease control in rice in Florida, USA, Colombia and Brazil, and in turfgrass in Florida, USA. His interests have included understanding the interactions of silicon with fungicides, residual effects of silicon on disease development, enhancement of host plant resistance and the mechanism(s) of resistance. Dr. Datnoff is a former Associate Editor of Plant Disease, a Fulbright Scholar and a recipient of the University of Florida-Institute for Food and Agricultural Sciences' Interdisciplinary Team Research… Award.