Effect on Plants

It has long been known that CO2 acts like a fertilizer on crops cultivated under glass, and it is being used successfully in that way with convincing results.

Parameter	Direct effect of doubling CO2
Photosynthesis rate	Substantial in the case of C3 plants; C4 plants show hardly any improvement
Stomatal opening	Reduced with C3 and C4 plants
Water use efficiency	Increased with C3 and C4 plants
Leaf surface	Increased more with C3 plants than with C4 plants
Leaf weight	Increased with C3 and C4 plants
Flowering	Accelerated with C3 and C4 plants
Maturity of plant	Earlier flowering of C3 and C4 plants
Dry mass production & yield	Substantially increased with C3 plants (up to 30% and more); C4 plants show hardly any improvement
Differences in plant reactions	Clear differences between C3 and C4 plants Differences between varieties possible
Drought stress	Plants less susceptible to water stress

From: KRUPA, S.V. and KICKERT, R.N. (1993) The Greenhouse Effect – The Impacts of Carbon Dioxide (CO2), Ultraviolet-B (UV-B) Radiation and Ozone (O3) on Vegetation (Crops). Vegetatio 104: 223-238


The other ingredients contained in Lithovit® are required for essential biochemical functions in plant metabolism
(calcium: important in metabolism and for cell walls; magnesium: an important component of chlorophyll; manganese: cofactor of enzymes and participation in oxygen development in photosystem II; zinc: cofactor of enzymes; copper: component of enzymes and a redox catalyst; cobalt: cofactor in the symbiotic fixation of molecular nitrogen).

Lithovit® brings about a clear enhancement of performance of many plants, which is demonstrated in particular
by more rapid growth, higher yields, and in many cases also by a lower water requirement and improved general vitality.

Particularly remarkable in addition is the reduction that has repeatedly been observed in the susceptibility of plants strengthened with Lithovit ® to fungal diseases (leaf rust, mildew, false mildew, fruit rot, leaf rot etc.).

C3 plants

Typical representatives of this category are cultivated plants of the temperate zones such as wheat, barley, rice, soya, potatoes, lettuce, vegetables and fruit-trees. With this type of metabolism the natural CO2 concentration is too low for optimum photosynthesis. In addition, the process called photorespiration interferes with photosynthesis. Lithovit ® can thus exert its full effect.

C4 plants

Typical representatives of this category are plants cultivated in the sub-tropical or tropical zones such as millet, maize or sugarcane. All plants with this type of metabolism can photosynthesize effectively even when the CO2 concentration.