Phosphites and Phosphates

With the cost of fertilizers and other crop inputs continuing to rise, there are some additional forms of fertilizer coming to the market place. One of the problems with the products coming on the market is there confusion with the traditionally used fertilizer materials. One of the products that is coming to light is the phosphite fertilizers manufactured using phosphorous acid (H₃PO₃). Not to be confused with the phosphate materials that are traditionally used, which are manufactured using phosphoric acid (H₃PO₄).

Rather than reinventing the wheel and writing an article of our own, there have recently been two very good articles written. One appeared in Better Crops in 2006, and the other appeared in New Ag International in September of 2007. Both of these articles do a good job of bringing to light the differences in these products, how they can be used as well as benefits of each product.

Phosphite Fertilizers: What Are They? Can You Use Them? What Can They Do? (290KB) By C.J. Lovatt and R.L. Mikkel, Better Crops/Vol 90 (2006, No 4) pgs 11-13.

Phosphites and Phosphates: When Distributors and Growers alike could get confused! (415KB) By Jean-Pierre Leymonie. Courtesy of New Ag International, September 2007 edition.