In order to maintain healthy growth, plants must extract a variety of elements from the soil. In terms of the quantity of nutrients needed, the “basic nutrients,” carbon, hydrogen and oxygen are the largest. Nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium are in the group known as the “primary nutrients” and are needed in the second largest quantity. However, in recent years, many states have become concerned about the water pollution caused by the “run-off” of excessively applied fertilizers, particularly nitrogen and phosphorus.
Of this group, phosphorus plays the key role in providing energy to the respiration cycle of the plant. No other element can replace phosphorus in this crucial role for plant life. Unfortunately, phosphorus is extremely reactive and forms very strong bonds with all metallic elements in the soil. This means it has limited availability for root uptake and nature has developed several mechanisms for releasing phosphorus from the soil. The two most effective mechanisms for phosphorus release involve 1) microbial activity and 2) root exudates. These two mechanisms are symbiotic and work in concert to maximize phosphorus availability. The relationship between microbes and roots is unbelievably complicated and synergistic. Roots can exude compounds that encourage specific microbe populations, capture specific nutrients, kill pathogens, and repel insects. Microbes, for their part, excrete plant biostimulants, fight off pathogens, and release nutrients from minerals and organic matter. In view of environmental regulations, a need exists in the industry for compositions that can mine the soil for phosphorus and reduce the need for synthetic granular fertilizers.