Ethylenediamine tetraacetate acid, due to its high power to form chelates with different nutrients, and the strength of this, is used to allow the solubility and availability of elements that would otherwise become part of the mineral complex of the soil, precipitates, in short, they would not be available for the plant.

The best-known case of chelate formation for its application in agriculture is that of Fe, due to the low mobility and solubility of this essential element for plants.

This chelating agent is also applied to enhance the assimilation of manganese (Mn) and zinc (Zn).

While it is true that, in addition, the chelate with EDTA can be very stable in moderately acidic solutions (EDTA-Fe), it does not have the same behavior in basic or alkaline media, forming salts that make it very ineffective in soils with a pH of 7.5 or higher.