Monopotassium Phosphite
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Monopotassium phosphite is an
inorganic compound An inorganic compound is typically a chemical compound that lacks carbon–hydrogen bonds⁠that is, a compound that is not an organic compound. The study of inorganic compounds is a subfield of chemistry known as ''inorganic chemistry''. Inorgan ...
with the formula KH2PO3. A compositionally related compound has the formula H3PO3.2(KH2PO3). Both are white solids that consist of salts of the phosphite anion H2PO3, the conjugate base of
phosphorous acid Phosphorous acid (or phosphonic acid) is the Compound (chemistry), compound described by the chemical formula, formula . It is diprotic (readily ionizes two protons), not triprotic as might be suggested by its formula. Phosphorous acid is an in ...
. Phosphites of potassium are used as
fungicides Fungicides are pesticides used to kill parasitic fungi or their spores. Fungi can cause serious damage in agriculture, resulting in losses of yield and quality. Fungicides are used both in agriculture and to fight fungal infections in animals, ...
(in a loose sense) in agriculture to combat water mold infection. Confusingly, they have also been marketed as fertilizers to avoid a regulatory burden. While perfectly capable to supply potassium to the plant, the phosphorus in phosphite form is unavailable to plants, and may even inhibit the uptake of the normal phosphate form if used in excess.


References

Phosphites Potassium compounds {{inorganic-compound-stub