Re: Milk is a good fungicide
Sounds neat.
The first question I'd ask is about the quality of the milk used.
Was it industrially produced or small scale/locally?
"Qualifies as an organic treatment" is vague, in that I personally would never
spray hormone-laden milk on anything I grow, nor would consider it a valid
organic practice.
If for nothing else, I don't want to financially support the synthetic food
paradigm.
Fortunately, we have access to chem-free raw milk from a friend's farm.
Further details on this study would be appreciated.
Ruth Fair Leeb wrote:
> I got this note from my friend in Swaziland. Thot I'd sent it along. Ruthie
> >
> >Dear Friends
> >
> >I must say I was shocked to read that syraying ordinary cows milk mixed with
> >water in a 1:9 dilution is as effective at preventing the growth of the
> >powderey mildew mould /Sphaerotheca fuliginea/ on cucumbers and zuccini as
> >any commercial chemical fungicides!
> >
> >This was a discovery by Wagner Bettoil in Embrapa, the Brazilian
> >Agricultural Research Corp. He sprayed it on heavily affected plants twice
> >a week. It worked as well as Fenarimol or Benomyl. In many cases milk was
> >faster and more effective. In some cases it was 6 times more effective as a
> >fungicide. It qualifies as an organic treatment.
> >
> >Effective control can be maintained with a 5% spray once a week. It is not
> >yet clear why it works but it might boost the plant's immune system.
> >
> >Powdery mildew is a serious problem in Swaziland where we cannot grow
> >certain crops in some areas because of its endemic presence.
> >
> >Regards
> >Crispin
> >
>
> _______________________________________________
> community_garden maillist - community_garden@mallorn.com
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--
John Edward Verin
Senior Apprentice
Ecosystem Farm
Accokeek, MD
Food is power... are you in control of yours?
"...it's going to take a wrenching change of heart in those citizens of the world
who have the world's goods in abundance.
Each of us must begin to experience the empowerment to change the world that
comes from simplicity and wanting less."
- John Jeavons
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