A method of treating plant and animal systems and inanimate surfaces for the purposes of controlling plant pests, introducing pesticides and nutrients into plants, mitigating frost damage to plants, increasing crop yields, controlling certain plant diseases, controlling arthropod, bacterial, fungal, mycoplasma, rickettsia, and viral pests of animals and humans, and disinfecting inanimate surfaces. The method utilizes the unique multi-directional dispersion property of the tannate complex of picro ammonium formate and the tannate complex of picro cupric ammonium formate, in aqueous solution, combined with a minor amount of a surfactant sufficient to prevent formation of ammonium picrate, to penetrate plant and animal systems and inanimate surfaces and travelling multidirectionally therein. The method is carried out by introducing a small but effective amount of the tannate complex to the plant or animal system or inanimate surface.