Excellent article about Systemic Acquired Resistance (SAR)

[SpicySativa]

What's up organic heads?

I just finished reading a really great article. It's actually focused on wine grape production, but that doesn't matter much (after all, vitis vinifera and cannabis sativa are both plants...). The article touches on some very interesting topics, including differences between conventional, organic, and biodynamic agriculture; and how each affects a plants systemic aquired resistance.

Anyway... I'm not gonna paraphrase the whole thing for you. You're just going to have to read it yourself if you want to become a better organic gardener.

This article isn't filled with kooky biodynamic spiritual/cosmic jargon, it's based on actual science. As such, it may be a bit dense for those of you without a decent foundation of scientific and agricultural knowledge.

http://www.organicwinejournal.com/i...d-vine-systemic-acquired-resistance-to-pests/

Give it a read and share your thoughts!

Cheers,

SpicySativa

 

[Carbon.Chains]

Thanks for sharing this!
Biodynamics still involve too much voodoo for me to try it...
And I doubt one can simply say this technique is superior to organic farming in general, as organic farming involves many different practices. The organic certification means very little.
I doubt it is infusing the cosmic forces or whatever that make biodynamic crops superior in regard to "the yield to pruning weight ratio, an important parameter for indicating vine balance and wine quality (....) and the significantly higher Brix as well as slightly higher total phenols and anthocyanins in the last year".
Great article nonetheless!
Carbon-Chains

 

[SpicySativa]

Carbon Chains - Glad you enjoyed the article. I'll never get into the "cosmic" side of biodynamic practices, even though I spent my early years at one of Rudolf Steiner's Waldorf schools. I am interested in learning more about the compost preparations and foliar sprays (like Horsetail Tea, which I believe can show tangible results). I think I may be able to integrate a few key bits of biodynamics into my "normal" organic methods.

Note that the higher yields, etc, that they reported for the biodynamic methods were in the last year of a 9-yr study. In scientific terms, we call that an outlier.

 

[3rdEye]

SpicySativa excellent article and thanks for posting it. It pulled together some thoughts i had and gave me some excellent new information.

I have my own spiritual connection with plants. That doesn't mean i follow bio-dynamic practices as outlined by R. Steiner, but it isn't just about mechanics either.

CC good points to bring up about the general level of diversity in organic approaches. I also agree that org certification is not very meaningful, if at all.

The article also highlighted the usefulness of testing a variety of different SAR promoters on cannabis plants to determine what effects might be elicited. I know jasmonic acid and other PGR's (plant growth regulators) have been discussed, so this information seems germane to the larger discussion.

 

[SpicySativa]

Salicylic acid gets a bit of lip service here, too. I've been using Aloe Vera as a SA source this grow. Can't comment on what's doing what, but I have had zero pests or diseases.

 

[Midgar06]

Great article Spicy. Never ceases to amaze the power of microbes

 

[bigshrimp]

Great article, I think ill stop using SAR inducers after reading that one.