The use of phosphite as a fungicide or supplementary source of phosphorus (P) has been intensified in recent years, however, little is known about its effects on important crops such as common bean. This work aimed to evaluate the effect of phosphite on growth and phosphate nutrition of bean plants. Two experiments in an completely randomized design were conducted in nutrient solution in a green house, from January to March 2008. In the first experiment, the treatments consisted of a 5 x 2 factorial design, with five P concentrations in the nutrient solution (0.5; 10; 20; 30 and 60 mg L-1) and two P forms: phosphite (Phi) and phosphate (Pi), with four replications. In the second experiment, the treatments consisted of five proportions of Pi: Phi in nutrient solution (100:0, 25:75, 50:50, 75:25 e 100:0), with five replications. The results showed that the shoot and root dry matter of plants grown with phosphite as the only form of P or with high proportions of Phi in relation to Pi, was drastically reduced, resulting in low P accumulation in these tissues. In conclusion, phosphate cannot be replaced by phosphite in phosphate nutrition of common bean, and has no effect on common bean under adequate phosphate supply. At no or low phosphate supply, severe phosphite toxicity symptoms were observed in the common bean plants, which are very sensitive to this anion.
acid phosphatase; phosphate nutrition; phosphorus fractions; potassium phosphite
