A plant with the proper amount of Phosphorus will grow more vigorously and mature earlier than a plant with inadequate Phosphorus. An increase in Phosphorus triggers a decrease in bacterial growth on a plant's leaves. A plant with a Phosphorus deficiency will exhibit stunted growth, lack of fruit or flowers, wilting, and leaves that may have a purple cast due to the photosynthetic process being affected.
An overwhelming amount of research, test plots and field examples have consistently supported the advantages of having a good supply of Phosphorus in the beginning stages of a plant's life.
The issue, however, is that the mobility and availability of phosphate depends on the strength of the soil's microbial community. This is because microbes work together by the millions, like a gigantic factory, to make Phosphorus available to plants through their normal life cycle. In order to support a highly-productive microbial Phosphorus factory
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