Potassium Phosphite — How It Saves Trees

Energizer Nutrient / Systemic Fungicide

Protects, Defends And Restores Plants By Activating Plants' Auto Immune And Defensive Systems.

The Role of Phosphorus in Plant Health

Phosphorus is required in nearly all metabolic processes and frequently influences utilization of other nutrients. Phosphorus is an important element for plant compounds such as enzymes, nucleic acids and proteins, in the storage and transfer of energy, stimulating early growth, root formation, and seed production. It is a structural component of phosphoproteins, phospholipids and nucleic acids. Phosphorus plays a vital role in the life cycle of plants and is important in reproductive growth. Phosphorus has a regulatory role in the formation and translocation of sugars and starches.

Phosphorus has long been one of the most difficult nutrients to supply to plants. Even though soil may have either naturally available and/or added phosphorus, adequate reservoirs may not be readily available for optimum plant functions. However our soils contain usually high amounts of phosphor and potassium and with the high pH (alkalinity), this acts as a mineral blocker. Therefore, natural phosphorus levels are generally not sufficient to support the needs of plants without supplemental fertilization.

Phosphite vs Phosphate: The Key Difference

Compare graphite (pure carbon), to carbon monoxide (CO) a poisonous gas to carbon dioxide (CO2). All these compounds are very similar in chemical composition — but the addition of an atom of oxygen to each compound markedly changes the nature and reactivity of the resulting molecule.

Potassium Phosphite is based on a phosphorus atom combined with three oxygen atoms PO₃ — this compound is called phosphite (or a phosphonate when derived in a plant). Conventional phosphates have the same phosphorus atom combined with four oxygen atoms PO₄ — this compound is called a phosphate.

The biological differences between these two compounds are remarkable even though chemically they are very similar. Phosphite is very plant active, because it is slightly unstable — phosphite tends to react and to do things. Phosphite is water soluble, it is easily absorbed by the plant both through the roots and the leaves.

Phosphorus Deficiency Symptoms

Phosphorus is the "energizer" nutrient in plant production and health. Phosphorus supplementation increases during cool weather, limited root growth and fast top growth. Deficiency symptoms include: slow growth, inhibited root structure, stunted plants, purplish coloration on foliage of some plants, small leaf size, dark green coloration with tips of leaves dying, delayed maturity, and poor fruit or seed development.

Because of the many vital plant functions influenced by phosphorus, less than adequate supplies can result in problems related to plant health or other functions. These occurrences can be in the presence of obvious deficiency symptoms or, more commonly, without apparent symptoms. Plants afflicted with hidden hunger use water less efficiently, are susceptible to the suppression of growth, are less tolerant of cold temperatures and take longer to root and recover.

How Phosphite Works in Plants

The recognized, traditional source of phosphorus, as H₃PO₄, has long been phosphoric acid, and forms a salt when neutralized with a base. The salt is referred to as phosphite, H₃PO₃, as opposed to phosphate H₃PO₄.

Once applied and rapidly absorbed by the plant, phosphites undergo an oxidation or conversion process resulting in the continual release of soluble phosphorus. This allows for the beneficially timed utilization of phosphorus, in preparation for critical times when demand by the plant may be especially high or uptake is otherwise impaired.

Potassium Phosphite application results have also shown several other novel characteristics, such as inhibition of mycorrhizal (root fungus) development, accelerating foliar uptake of other cations such as potassium, calcium, magnesium, and most micro elements, when applied in combination, and by supplying more phosphorus per molecule than phosphate.

Because phosphite has one less oxygen molecule than phosphate, a higher degree of solubility and mobility within the plant is achieved. This unique characteristic permits phosphites to be rapidly absorbed or taken up across the membranes of plant foliage and/or roots, in both their nutritive and plant protective roles.

Systemic Movement and Root Benefits

Potassium phosphonates are systematically absorbed by the plant and are mobile within the plant, trans-locating to the new growth via both the phloem element and the xylem. They are a highly soluble form of phosphorus and potassium, which is beneficial to plant growth, rooting and root development. Not only does phosphite help roots, but is actually beneficial to the regeneration of mycorrhizae on the roots of oaks and other trees. Phosphorus and potassium are rapidly absorbed by the leaf tissue and roots for maximum and efficient plant use by moving systemically upward and downward in the plant's vascular system, phloem and including the root system, bypassing typical soil phosphorus tie-ups with other soil inorganic compounds.

Disease Defence Mechanisms

The phosphonates and potassium phosphites have been observed to activate defence mechanisms that kick into gear when attacked by disease or insects. This product also has fungistatic activity against major fungal pathogens and decline and has shown to promote the tree's natural defence systems capable of stimulating host defences through induced systemic resistance.

One method is to wall off the pathogen by killing off surrounding cells, somewhat like a fire line around a forest fire. Currently, potassium phosphites are being studied as "inducers" of disease resistance and control. But the plant responds further, releasing various chemical compounds that alert the rest of the plant to begin producing other compounds that increase plant resistance to infection or attack at other sites on the plant. These responses are called systemic acquired resistance (SAR) and induced resistance (IR). It is also well known that functional potassium will provide a certain level of disease protection in and of itself.

Mode of Action as a Fungicide

Potassium Phosphite, being a full potassium salt of phosphorous acid, has been shown by research to be the most effective form of the phosphonate type fungicides. The mode of action of phosphorous acid is two fold, by acting first within the fungus, inhibiting fungus growth, and also by changing the nature of the fungal cell walls by activating the plant's own immune defence response through rapid cytological action, and triggering other cellular phytoalexin accumulations and metabolic changes and other resistance inducers. Phosphonates are highly selective, non-toxic fungicides against numerous fungal pathogens, and provide both protective and curative responses against such plant diseases. It is a highly systemic sterol inhibitor that penetrates and trans-locates, preventing fungal cell development, by interfering with cell wall formation and growth throughout the plant by inhibiting sterol biosynthesis.

Injection with the Chemjet Syringe

Potassium Phosphite is now dispensed directly into the tree through a Chemjet Syringe that puts the product directly into the tree's vascular system, stimulating parts of the tree that produce disease-fighting chemicals. Scientists have discovered that trees dosed with a chemical product normally used as a fertilizer can fight and even resist the deadly microbe that has killed so many trees. Once the phosphite moves up the tree and enters the leaves, it stimulates the production of infection-fighting chemicals within a layer known as the cambium. The chemicals, although they do not affect the pathogen, boost the tree's natural defences.

The micro-injection of oaks and other tree species aids the return to vigorous growth. It is also used for Sudden Oak Death or root rot and serves to stabilize the tree. It is a selective, systemic fungicide / nutrient energizer with a high level of environmental safety and very low non-target toxicity. This injection immediately enters the tree and begins restoring the tree's ability to function again. Phosphorus is an essential element for trees and critical for root production.

The phosphite is highly mobile in trees and moves bi-directionally in the phloem and upward to the leaves in the vascular systems. Because phosphite has one less oxygen molecule than phosphate, a higher degree of solubility and mobility within the plant is achieved. This unique characteristic permits phosphites to be rapidly absorbed or taken up across the membranes of plant foliage and/or roots, in both their nutritive and plant protective roles, with immediate activity on contact.

Injecting trees with Potassium Phosphite and using the Chemjet Injector Syringes requires the least amount of the fungicide / energizer, though a little labour intensive, it is more environmentally safer and more target friendly than applying as a foliar spray.

Phosphite Chemistry

Phosphorus fertilisers are generally supplied to plants as salts of phosphoric acid (H₃PO₄). When phosphoric acid is neutralised by potassium hydroxide (KOH) it forms the phosphate fertilizer, potassium phosphate (KH₂PO₄). However if phosphorous acid (H₃PO₃) is neutralised with KOH it forms the salt of phosphonate — phosphite fertilisers are available commercially and are labelled as phosphorus supplements for foliar or soil treatments to nursery turf and landscape crops.

Phytophthora are the fungi that cause some of the most widespread serious root rot and foliar blight diseases on plants, from crop diseases like potato blight to SOD (sudden oak death).