cornmeal as a fungicide

[yortbogey]

Scientists at Texas A&M University's Plant Pathology Research Station in Stephenville Texas made an important discovery about cornmeal when they discovered that peanuts that were planted in a field where

corn​

had previously been planted, didn't develop the typical fungal diseases that are known to plague peanut crops.The discovery led to further research in which they were able to determine that corn, and by extension, cornmeal, contains a beneficial fungus that can kill or prevent the growth of the destructive fungi.This research has proved valuable because it has shown that the use of cornmeal has the potential to kill or prevent the growth of other types of fungi that can damage or kill other crops and plants.



*What makes

cornmeal​

work? -

Corn meal contains organisms that are every bit as powerful and/or

beneficial​

as chemical fungicides. It is thought that cornmeal attracts a type of good fungus that belongs to the Trichoderma family. This beneficial good fungus is capable of killing the disease causing fungus in no more than just a few weeks. The principle is very simple: it is possible to use a good fungus to prevent the growth of a destructive and killing fungus.

HOW TO APPLY -

*Dry application -

The cornmeal can be applied directly to the soil. Most recipes recommend using 2 pounds of cornmeal for every 100 square feet of soil. The cornmeal needs to be worked well into the soil, making sure to that it gets entirely mixed with all of the soil.

Once the soil has been broken up and the corn

meal​

is evenly distributed, it is necessary to give it a thorough watering. This is necessary even if nothing is planted yet. Water is necessary to activate the fungus killing properties. It is believed that a single application prior to planting will prevent the fungus from destroying the crop, but because it is completely organic, additional applications can't be harmful.

*Liquid spray -

You can also make a liquid spray that is referred to as a "cornmeal

juice​

." The juice is made by soaking one cup of cornmeal in one gallon of water. The mixture must soak for at least 24 hours, after which the liquid is drained off of the wet cornmeal. It can then be used as a spray on plants. The spray can be used as a fungicide for any type of plant that is prone to contracting some type of fungal disease.

Both the liquid and dry forms of cornmeal can be used on vegetables at any type during the growing season. Because cornmeal is an entirely

organic​

product, it can be used right​

 

[Granger2]

The County Agents now recommend corn meal to fight Brown Patch and Take-All Patch in lawns. It is more effective than the commercially [BigAgraChem] available fungicides, non-toxic, provides fertilizer, and other benefits.

People are successfully treating the dreaded foot fungus with cornmeal soaks. Works on a lot of things.

I have to wonder what its effect is on other beneficial fungi such as mycos and trichos. -granger

 

[ICMaggotMe]

Although not directly related to cannabis, corn gluten meal has been shown to be a powerful preemergent herbicide for weed reduction.

http://www.hort.iastate.edu/research/gluten/

 

[Abja Roots]

Very interesting. Would there be any negatives to planting corn in a field you were planning to grow your herb in, if it was scattered throughout the field and then pulled early?

 

[ICMaggotMe]

The County Agents now recommend corn meal to fight Brown Patch and Take-All Patch in lawns. It is more effective than the commercially [BigAgraChem] available fungicides, non-toxic, provides fertilizer, and other benefits.

People are successfully treating the dreaded foot fungus with cornmeal soaks. Works on a lot of things.

I have to wonder what its effect is on other beneficial fungi such as mycos and trichos. -granger

It's another case of using plants to grow healthy plants. We're only beginning to understand the roles that secondary metabolites in plants can do for the health of plants.

Think kelp, alfalfa, comfrey, nettles, lavender, neem......KWIM?

 

[SeaMaiden]

This is WONDERFUL to read! I've still got some of my own corn to grind into meal. At the same time, I'm having a real problem with my seed starts that appears to be pythium (or perhaps what joe fresh suggested, phytophthora, say that five times really fast) or some other fungal disease.

AND! I've found that squash grown up here tend to develop PM, often late in the season when the RH locally drops and temps are high.

I've also read of using corn gluten as a pre-emergent weed killer.

Corn--it's what's for breakfast.

I may not vote on any more threads today, damn it.

 

[grow_right]

i used cornmeal as a fungicide decades before a&m started testing it. great stuff!!

 

[RanchoDeluxe]

How would you know if the cornmeal you are using isn't genetically engineered by Monsanto to be Round-Up resistant? This is the same reason I've taken alfalfa out of my grow. It really sucks when corporations think they can fight Mother Nature and in the process ruin nature for the rest of us.

 

[Field&Stream]

This and Grits also work great for an organic ant killer.

 

[h.h.]

I use cornmeal with top dress as well as a compost starter. I wasn't sure why it was sometimes refereed to as a fungicide. Now I understand. I believe the same thing is true of certain antibacterials as well. Yucca for one.
Try grinding up some black beans as well as grinding some of the cornmeal into a flour for a faster start.

 

[Granger2]

Deluxe,
Use organic cornmeal. -granger

 

[Pomodoro]

corn meal can also be used a a nitrogen fertilizer, very useful product.

 

[Bennyweed1]

How would you know if the cornmeal you are using isn't genetically engineered by Monsanto to be Round-Up resistant? This is the same reason I've taken alfalfa out of my grow. It really sucks when corporations think they can fight Mother Nature and in the process ruin nature for the rest of us.

Thats the first thing I thought about when I read this also. I can not even find seeds to buy that are not some hybrid.

 

[Granger2]

Hybrids are not the result of genetic engineering. They are the results of cross or controlled pollenation. They're OK. It's the GMO abominations we need to worry about. -granger

 

[Bennyweed1]

Hybrids are not the result of genetic engineering. They are the results of cross or controlled pollenation. They're OK. It's the GMO abominations we need to worry about. -granger

I hear you there Amigo..... I just assumed every hybrid has some from or variance of GMO cross pollination in it.

I did a research paper for a class a few months back, looking into GMOs. I wish I could site the source but I can right now, but I found a 2011 publication from internal FDA GMO studies and they basically said they have no way of testing and no way of knowing if a regular hybrid/heirloom/organic crop has been cross pollinated with a GMO crop. They said the testing would basically cost way to much money and take up way to much time and there was not enough evidence to support it happening to constitute the money and man hours to test everything.

I cant remember the figures off the top of my head but I think something like 75% of the earths total agricultural corn production is genetically modified.

They know it is. The powers at be want it that way. A wise man told me once that if you can control the food, the water, and the money then you have absolute power and absolute power corrupts absolutely.

So let me ask you a question?

How do you know if the seeds you buy are not GMO seeds?

 

[SeaMaiden]

By buying heirloom stock and saving your own seed generationally.